How important is a proper drinking regime and how to do it?

How much fluid do you drink per day? Do you follow a regular drinking regime or do you reach for water only when you are thirsty? Don't neglect it. Hydration is extremely important and is emphasized especially when trying to lose weight, doing more physically demanding activities or when you want to follow a healthy lifestyle. Why and how to maintain a regular drinking regime? Read on.

How important is water to us?

Our body itself consists of up to 60% water. A person can survive for weeks without food, but only 2-3 days without water. It is found in every cell of ours and participates in almost all processes that take place in the body.

Water in the body affects the condition of our skin, the proper functioning of metabolism and the flushing out of waste and harmful substances . If you do not follow the correct drinking regimen, you may start to have a headache, you may feel tired, even lethargic.

In the long term, the lack of fluids in the body will manifest itself, for example, in problems with the joints and spine, kidney disease or the formation of urinary stones.

How much fluid should we ideally drink per day?

Did you know that we are not supposed to feel thirsty? This is a warning signal in the event that the body has lost 1-2% of fluids. Therefore, this is a symptom of mild dehydration.

So how do you find out how much you should drink per day? 35-40 milliliters per kilogram of body weight is recommended. So, for example, if you weigh 70 kilograms, drinking 2.5 liters should not be a problem for you.

However, this calculation is an average recommended fluid intake. It also depends on a lot of other circumstances. The necessary intake of water increases with every physical activity. It depends, for example, on the temperature of the environment in which you are at that moment. If you sweat as a result of high temperature or physical exertion, you lose fluids that you should replenish.

But nothing should be overdone

The kidneys can process only 0.7 liters of fluid per hour. Excess fluid intake can overload the kidneys. Therefore, if you burden the kidneys with excessive hydration in a short period of time, swelling in the ankle area, frequent urination or increased sweating could occur. People who drink too much often have clammy hands and feet.

How often to drink?

Spread your drinking throughout the day. Sudden intake of large amounts of water will do no good. Start first thing in the morning and continue gradually. On the contrary, limit your drinking a little before going to bed so that you don't run to the bathroom at night and thus not disturb the quality of your sleep.

Appropriate, but also inappropriate drinks

The most suitable drink is, of course, plain water. If you decide to improve the taste and quality of tap water, you can use a filter kettle. But you have to be careful which filter you use. Some home filters also capture valuable minerals, which then need to be replenished from another source. Other suitable drinks include unsweetened fruit or herbal teas. Also fruit and vegetable juices ideally diluted with water or weakly mineralized natural still water.

Which drinks should be avoided? Definitely sweetened lemonades, coffee, alcohol or strongly mineralized waters.

Final advice

• If it happens that you simply forget to follow the drinking regime, set a reminder on your phone or smart watch. There are already mobile applications that will automatically send you a notification that it's time to drink.

• If you don't like water, try a healthy taste of it. For example, lemon juice or herb broth.

• If even lemon does not help and you still lack a certain amount of fluids for the daily necessary intake, include more soups, fruits and vegetables that are rich in water in your diet.

You will see for yourself what benefits water will bring you. You will feel better both mentally and physically. You will sleep better and you will definitely feel more energy. You can then use it during physical activities. And what else do you have left for a balanced and healthy lifestyle? For example, our boxes. This way, you will have a tailored diet, time for yourself and your family, and you will feel great in your own body.