Drink water to boost your metabolism. It has been said that “water is the key to life,” and one of the easiest ways to do this is by drinking water before exercise.
Drinking two glasses of water before exercise can increase your metabolism by up to 30%.
That means if you drink two glasses of water every hour, you’ll keep your metabolism at peak performance all day, which will help you lose weight and reclaim your health.
Conversely, dehydration can adversely affect the body, including mood changes, muddled thinking, and decreased athletic performance.
The trouble is, we don’t realise when we are even mildly dehydrated until it’s too late, primarily because we don’t feel thirsty.
So, if you can’t rely on feeling thirsty to trigger the need to stay adequately hydrated, what are the most common signs of dehydration we can use to help?
Here are a few common dehydration symptoms.
You’re urinating less frequently, or your urine is a darker colour.
Your kidneys’ job is to filter out waste and extra water from your body to make urine.
When you’re dehydrated, your kidneys retain water. Less water in your urine causes the urine to become darker in colour.
The lighter the colour of your urine, the more hydrated you are.
Clear to pale yellow urine means you’re well-hydrated, while darker, more amber-yellow urine indicates you could be dehydrated.
Your heart is racing.
When you’re dehydrated, you lose blood volume, which causes your blood to thicken. This makes it harder for your heart to supply blood to your muscles, increasing the risk of a heart attack.
You feel lightheaded or dizzy.
Your brain is about 73% water, so dehydration can significantly affect the brain.
Dehydration can also cause your blood pressure to drop, reducing oxygen supply to the brain and resulting in dizziness or lightheadedness.
Electrolytes are critical for hydrating the body, maintaining nerve and muscle function, and balancing blood acidity and pressure. You must consume sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium electrolytes to maintain optimal hydration.
