At Countryside Hearing Aids we have the opportunity to see 20+ people every day. Most of our patients are from Clearwater, Dunedin, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs. We also have a large number of seasonal residents that we see when they’re in Florida. Some of the conditions we see a lot of, in addition to hearing impairment, are memory loss, fatigue and various aches and pains. While hearing aids won’t solve all of the problems we encounter, I do believe that proper nutrition and adequate hydration can prove to be beneficial; particularly for those who don’t eat right and don’t drink enough fluids.
Today, I want to specifically talk about what is perhaps the “cheapest” way to potentially improve your health and that is to simply drink more water.
Your body needs water not only to survive but also to function optimally. Your brain, muscles, joints, and organs all depend on H2O to keep you feeling happy and well. Without it you’ll slowly feel more and more sluggish, mentally slow, and sick. Water is an incredibly important part of our lifestyle. Remember, well over 50% your bodyweight is water; it’s pretty important in the overall scheme of things!
There are several ways to detect whether you’re running low on water or not. Dark or little urine, fatigue, abnormal thirst, dry mouth, dizziness, headaches, mental fogginess, confusion, and an inability to sweat, produce saliva, or cry tears are all common signs that you need to increase your liquid consumption.
Our body loses water through urination, sweat, and breath. Every time you exhale minuscule water droplets are released from the body in your breath which really adds up over time. Obviously, it’s a lot easier to become dehydrated in the summer due to the heat which is why it’s so important to always have water nearby. This is the same for days that you’re more active or if you’re ill. Sickness causes your body to struggle in order to store water.
By the way, don’t wait until you are thirsty to get a drink. When a person is feeling thirsty, he or she has already lost a percentage of water that makes up most of the body. Loss of this water results in potential dehydration, dark urine, joint or muscle soreness, crankiness, constipation, brain fog, fatigue and dry lips.
Your best course of action is to drink one glass of water every hour and a half. If you wake up at 9 and go to bed at 9 then that’s 8 glasses of water per day. If you have any teas or coffees on top of that then they’re a bonus. However, try to refrain from drinking too much coffee as it has a tendency to aid dehydration in larger doses. Milk, juices, and herbal teas are all good choices. Another good technique is to drink two glasses of water at every meal and then have one glass of water in between. For three meals a day this will also add up to 8 glasses.
If you can get in to the habit of making water your primary drink then you shouldn’t need to worry about dehydration. Remember to always drink 2-3 extra glasses when the weather’s hot or if you’re ill to make up for the extra water lost from your system. Just follow the simple steps explained in this article and you’ll always be on top of your liquids which will keep you happy and healthy.
Here’s my challenge to you. Try to drink at least 2 extra glasses of water per day. Just that simple task will be a step in the right direction.
And finally, if you feel you’re not hearing as well as you should, or as well as you used to; please give us a call at 727-796-1161 and schedule a complimentary ear inspection and hearing evaluation. The test is quick and easy and it’s always a good idea to get your hearing checked. If by chance you need hearing aids, we have them! We represent ReSound, Widex, Oticon, Phonak, Starkey and Siemens.
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