By Christine Donato<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Every single year, on Jan. 31, I plan out my New Year\u2019s Resolutions for the year ahead. Some are more general changes I want to make, like this year\u2019s goal to \u201cLimit Household Waste,\u201d while others are purely aspirational, such as 2018\u2019s dream to \u201cReduce Student Loan Debt.\u201d Without a doubt, the goal that shows up year after year is the one and only \u201cDrink More Water.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re anything like me, then you\u2019ve probably vowed at one point or another to drink more water, or perhaps you\u2019re one of those superwomen who actually gets her eight, 8-oz glasses of water every day \u2014 if so, what\u2019s your secret? Seriously.<\/p>\n
Either way, most of us agree that drinking more water is something we should all be striving for, so why do I still find myself going days subsisting on only coffee?<\/p>\n
What happens to the body if it\u2019s not properly hydrated, and how does it affect performance? Well, it turns out that even minimal levels of dehydration during exercise, as well as other forms of physical exertion, can cause symptoms like \u201creduced endurance, increased fatigue, altered thermoregulatory capability, reduced motivation, and increased perceived effort.\u201d The next time you hit the gym, try hydrating before, during and after your workout, and see if it makes a difference.<\/p>\n
Even when we\u2019re not at the gym, dehydration may still play a role in our cognitive performance, especially when it comes to short-term memory impairment. This is particularly worrisome in children and the elderly, but even for adults, reaching for a glass of water instead of yet another coffee or energy drink may be the key to better focus at work.<\/p>\n
In the aptly titled Women\u2019s Health article \u201cOnce And For All\u222b How Much Water Do I Have To Drink Each Day?\u201d Amanda Baker Lemein, MS, RD, explains that, for the average adult, eight ounces of water eight times a day is a good rule of thumb. However, your exact needs may vary depending on your circumstances. For example, exercise, living in high altitudes, and those who may be sick, breastfeeding or pregnant will most likely need to increase their overall water intake. If you\u2019re curious how much water you should be drinking daily, it\u2019s best to consult a physician or dietician for a recommendation. Be careful not to go overboard, though, as it is actually possible to drink too much water, which \u201ccan lead to dangerously low levels of sodium through blood dilution, known as hyponatremia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now we know that drinking 64 ounces of water a day, on average, is very necessary for our overall health and wellness, but is all water created equally? I\u2019ve often been told that warm water is better for you, but I absolutely despise drinking room temperature water. It is the absolute least refreshing way to quench your thirst. Surely it\u2019s just some old wives\u2019 tale, right?<\/p>\n
Wrong, much to my dismay. It turns out that drinking warm water is better for you, and drinking hot water might be even better still . Hot water offers a myriad of health benefits for the body, especially when it comes to digestion, circulation, and has even been shown to ease congestion in those suffering from a respiratory tract infection.<\/p>\n
Drinking hot water for better digestion isn\u2019t a new concept either, as many cultures believe that drinking hot water is good for the body\u2019s health. In Ayurvedic medicine, one should drink hot water in the morning and evening, while in Italy, there is the popular drink consisting of hot water and lemon peel, known as a canarino . Both of these practices are intended to help the body digest. However, this doesn\u2019t mean those of us who enjoy drinking cold water have to give it up quite yet. Drinking any temperature water throughout the day will increase energy levels and lower food cravings, as more often than not we tend to mistake thirst for hunger.<\/p>\n
As for me, I\u2019m not going to stop keeping my Brita in the fridge, but perhaps incorporating hot water into my day wouldn\u2019t be such a terrible idea either. We\u2019ll consider it a compromise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Christine Donato Every single year, on Jan. 31, I plan out my New Year\u2019s Resolutions for the year ahead. Some are more general changes I want to make, like this year\u2019s goal to \u201cLimit Household Waste,\u201d while others are purely aspirational, such as 2018\u2019s dream to \u201cReduce Student Loan Debt.\u201d Without a doubt,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[912,942,941],"class_list":["post-2555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-fitness-forum","tag-hydration","tag-water"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/aqua-3445987_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1364&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1539,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1539","url_meta":{"origin":2555,"position":0},"title":"Healthy Woman","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Rethink Your Drink\u00a0 By Peggy A. 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