1)      YOU DON’T HAVE TO DRINK PLAIN WATER TO HYDRATE.

Oatmeal is 84% water, low-fat milk is 90 percent water, coffee is 99.5% water, lettuce is 96% water, tomatoes are 95% water, broccoli is 89% water, low fat vanilla yogurt is 79% water, ice cream is 60% water.

2)      Thirst pains are real.

Yes, we have hunger pains, but did you know that we also have thirst pains? Often, we can’t rely on a dry mouth to tell us that we need a little more H2O. Chronic joint pain, headaches and gastric ulcers can often spell d-e-h-y-d-r-a-t-i-o-n. Water is needed to carry acidic waste away from cells, and when we’re dehydrated, these wastes don’t get carried away, leading to our nerves interpreting the acidic waste as pain.

3)      If you are tired, it may be hydration.

One study conducted by Loughborough University found that a mere 5% drop in water levels in the body can cause a 25-30% loss in energy. Even a 3% drop can cause fuzzy thinking, “brain fog” and a slower metabolism. Another study conducted by University of Connecticut’s Human Performance Laboratory found that even a 1.5% water loss led to reduced cognitive function, headaches and fatigue in 25 women and 26 men.

4)      Your body has different water contents.

Water is constantly moving through your cells. About 4% to 10% of your body-water gets replaced everyday with “fresh” water. Blood is approximately 93% water. Muscle is about 73% water. Body fat is about 10% water.

5)      Bottled water is not always better than tap water.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, nearly half of bottled waters come from municipal water supplies—not from the mountain streams pictured on the labels. This suggests standard municipal tap water is high quality.

Rather than spend money on bottled water, turn on your tap. This will help stop the flood of 95 million plastic water bottles that get discarded each day, of which only 20 percent get recycled. Drink plenty of water—but think “green.”

Sources: MindBodyGreen and Active.com

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii, USA

Check out a crazy list of 15 really strange beaches — here.

Best Ways to Hydrate

It’s no secret that hydration is essential to optimal health. Although drinking water is a great way to hydrate, did you know that on average, humans get 20% of their water from food?

Often times, eating fruit is the best way of hydrating — even better than drinking water.  The nutrients and vitamins that fruits contain help balance fluid levels within the body and deliver water in an efficient manner.

Healthy Foods for Hydration

For example, after a long workout, one might be better served to eat watermelon as opposed to drinking water. The watermelon has potassium and sodium that aid in replacing the valuable properties that you lost in your workout by sweating.

Many fruits and veggies are made up of primarily water but they bring the extra punch of added nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. For example, celery may seem like a “boring” food but if you look closely, it’s actually amasing (yes, with an “s”). Celery is 96% water and it has dozens of different antioxidants, a high concentration of vitamin K, beta+carotene, and Vitamin C. Consuming celery has significant benefits for the digestive tract, cancer prevention, and reducing inflammation within the body.

Other foods that stand out are papaya and watermelon. Each contains lutein and zeaxanthin which studies have shown can hydrate your body twice as effectively as water.

Conclusion

If you want to hydrate, eat up!

Here are five foods that are great for hydration:

• Cucumbers
• Watermelon
• Apples
• Celery
• Broccoli

What foods do you eat to stay hydrated?

If you’ve ever spent time living in China or traveling in China, you’ve noticed drastic differences from living in the West.

One of the most fascinating differences that I noticed is that the Chinese prefer to drink their water when it is at room temperature, warm, or hot. The reasons for this probably stem from Chinese medicinal theory.

Their theory helped me realize that I had never even considered an alternative to cold water growing up because that’s all I knew. From then on, I’ve embraced warm and hot water and I’m working towards becoming agnostic in terms of drinking water temperature preference.

There are several reasons why we might consider amending our dependence on cold water:

1. Our internal organs are somewhere around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The Yin and Yang theory of Chinese medicine suggests drinking water that is close to this temperature helps maintain harmony within the body. In my personal experience, I can feel the negative reaction within my body immediately after drinking ice cold water.

2. Warm water aids in digestion. Warm water increases circulation through the digestive tract, helping you absorb nutrients and discard waste and toxins.

3. You’re more likely to be present in the novelty of drinking hot water. Since it will be a new, exciting experience, you’ll be more mindful. Also, if you can easily burn yourself with each sip, you’re more alert and aware of this. Drinking water in slow, mindful sips leads to a more joyful, lucid practice.

4. If you drink boiling water, you’re less likely to be drinking water with any contamination. Self+explanatory.

5. Imagine a wild animal abstaining from drinking water because it wasn’t chilled to their liking. Not going to happen. Animals drink whatever they can get. Realize that subtle programming has created our perceptions.

Have you ever considered drinking warm, hot, or room temperature water?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/02/us-singapore-water-idUSBRE9510EG20130602

“Water companies in Singapore are attracting big-name investors as they profit from exporting their expertise to China, which plans to spend $850 billion over the next decade to improve its scarce and polluted water supplies.”