What You're Thirsting For: The Revitalizing Properties of Water
by Susie Michelle Cortright, author, More Energy for Moms

It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and you're looking for
something to haul you out of the energy slump.

The top choices are often sugar- or fat-laden snacks from
a vending machine or beverages loaded with caffeine.

Sweet snacks can actually create surges and dips in blood
sugar, which can make you feel more lethargic.

And fatty foods do little for your energy levels. That
Krispy Kreme may have seemed like a good idea when you were
famished, but, soon, it's as though you can feel it sitting
in your gut, weighing you down.

Beverages meant to give you an energy jolt can also have
the opposite effect. Just one cup of coffee may help keep
you energized for up to six hours, but caffeine can trigger
a cycle of fatigue by interfering with REM sleep.

Alcohol poses a double whammy; it causes the body to lose
nutrients, and it warps sleep patterns.

Here's a secret to revitalization, particularly effective for
the afternoon blahs. Treat yourself to a tall, ice cold glass
of water.

Water has wonderful restorative properties. It is a natural,
fat-free appetite suppressant that contains no calories
and no cholesterol. It is low in sodium, helps the body
metabolize fat, helps maintain skin and muscle tone, and
improves energy levels.

Every physiological function depends on water. Water helps
regulate body temperature, transports oxygen, nutrients,
hormones, and antibodies; helps eliminate toxins and other
wastes from the body; and lubricates your joints as well as
your hair, skin, mouth, nose, and eyes.

Water protects organs and tissues; increases the efficiency
of proteins and enzymes essential to metabolism; and relieves
water retention (though it may seem counterintuitive, when
you're retaining water, the best course of action is to drink
more water, not less).

If you allow yourself to get dehydrated, every part of your
body suffers. Dehydration has been linked to asthma and allergies,
constipation and heartburn, hypertension and headaches, poor
muscle tone, and inefficiencies in digestion, metabolism, and
organ function.

Warning signs of dehydration include mental confusion, pain in
the joints, stomach, and back, and low energy.

Keep your energy levels up, particularly after a workout, by
making sure you get enough.


How much is enough?

You may have heard that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses
each day, but that may not be sufficient for you.

The International Sportsmedicine Institute says that a
physically active person needs two-thirds of an ounce of water
for each pound of body weight every day. A less active person
needs one-half of an ounce of water for each pound of body weight.

Keep in mind that your body needs 16 ounces of water before,
4 to 8 ounces every 20 minutes during, and 24 ounces following
your workout.

You'll also have to make up for the water lost through your
consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Drink an additional 8 ounces
of water for each cup of coffee, caffeinated soda, or serving of
alcohol you consume.

If you're physically active, calculate:
( _your body weight_x .67) + (_cups of coffee,etc._)x 8) =
daily intake in ounces

If you aren't physically active, calculate:
( _your body weight_ x .50) + (_cups of coffee,etc._) x 8) =
daily intake in ounces

As with most major lifestyle changes, check with your doctor
before significantly changing your water intake. Certain medical
conditions call for restricted or increased water consumption.

When you first begin to re-hydrate, you may feel like you're
spending all of your time in the bathroom. Just wait it out.
Within a few weeks, your body will adjust and you will urinate
less frequently. Just avoid heavy water intake right before bed
to avoid midnight trips to the bathroom, which can interfere
with sleep patterns.


Overcoming Your Inertia

Here are some common excuses for not getting enough water:

"I'm not thirsty"

You may notice that, when you drink more water, you
find yourself thirsty, but, when you live on caffeinated
soda, you're not thirsty at all.

The truth is, thirst is not a good indicator of water
deprivation. A lack of thirst may actually signal dehydration,
and "dry mouth" thirst is a sign of extreme dehydration.

When your body is deprived of water, it adjusts by disabling
the body's thirst sensor. Once you start hydrating yourself,
thirst kicks in again.


"I don't like water"

Here are some tips for downing the day's water:

* Make it readily available. Keep a water bottle in your car
and at your desk. Stash another bottle in your bag and carry
it with you.

* Liven up ordinary water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice.
Sometimes, I add a splash of fruit juice to the water. Try to
go easy on the juice, though. Most juices are high in sugar,
which adds calories and stimulates the pancreas.

* Purchase an inexpensive water filter, such as the Brita water
filter. For about $30, you can enjoy great tasting water all
the time. Plus, when you have cold, refreshing water ready in
the fridge, you'll be more likely to pour yourself a glass.

* Find an elegant container. Every drink looks more refreshing
in an elegant crystal goblet.

* Know thyself. How is water made most appealing to you? Do you
prefer an ice-cold glass with fresh lemon slices? Then make
sure it's easy to prepare.

* Experiment. Put a glass mug in the
freezer before bed or freeze a half-filled water bottle, and
fill it with water before you go out for the day. Then enjoy
the cold water as the ice thaws.

When you are properly hydrated, you'll experience an energy
boost and you may find that you eat less, too.


This article is excerpted from More Energy for Moms, an
interactive mind-body fitness program designed
exclusively for moms: http://www.momscape.com/energy
Its creator, Susie Michelle Cortright,
is the author of several books for moms and founder of the
award-winning website Momscape.com. Visit today to get her
free course-by-email, "6 Days to Less Stress":
http://www.momscape.com