Pass the Water, Please!

by Kat Code

Ahh, summertime. Beaches, BBQs, cute boys with no shirts walking around . . . summer is definitely my favourite time of year.

For most of us, summer means getting outside, whether it’s going to the beach, jogging along the seawall, or chillin’ on a patio with a cold beverage — preferably an alcoholic one. And when you mix physical activity, or drinking, or both with hours spent under the summer’s hot sun, it can only lead to one thing: dehydration.

We all know that the common cure for dehydration is water. We probably all know that we’re supposed to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. And most of us know that we don’t drink enough water, even as we fuel our mornings with caffeine and celebrate our weekends with booze, which only complicates the matter further. But are we all aware of the array of health complaints that can be attributed to dehydration?

Did you know that a lack of energy is one of the most common ailments that can be cured by simply drinking more water? Or that high blood pressure and fluid retention are often attributable to dehydration? As well, there is a range of pains associated with not drinking enough water to meet your body’s demands. Migraine headaches, usually associated with being hung-over, are the most common of these. Arthritic pain, lower-back pain, and the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia can all result from not drinking enough water.

Water is essential for healthy digestion and drinking enough of it ensures you will digest your food properly and not get heartburn in the process. Not drinking enough water lowers your metabolism by about three percent, which doesn’t translate well for the waistline. Keeping your gut well saturated also keeps you regular. I’m sure even the most unpredictable of us would agree that this is one area where it’s good to be regular.

Which reminds me of a summer I spent working at an archaeology camp where the cook didn’t use salt in our food. Not being one to add salt to my dinner, I learned the hard way that it’s important to balance that precious elixir, water, with enough salt to prevent it from just flushing straight through you. It took me four painful days to realize the source of my discomfort.

If you find yourself complaining of any of the above problems, try drinking a glass of water before you turn to the aid of painkillers, antacids, or diuretics. It’s cheaper, much better for you, and if it doesn’t work, there’s no harm done.

Here are a few more reasons to inspire you to stay hydrated: water helps maintain healthy teeth and bones and proper muscle tone, it’s good for the complexion, and it can help control your weight. It can even turn a frown upside down by eliminating an irritable mood.

So get out there, enjoy the sun, work up a sweat, and even pour yourself a beer. But don’t forget to make up for it by drinking more water. Add some ice cubes, or spruce it up with a wedge of lemon, a sprig of mint, and a little umbrella. Meanwhile, I’ll be at the beach, soaking up the sun and — you guessed it — drinking plenty of water.