After surviving the cold winter months that always seem to linger on way too long, I cannot get enough of the heat.  Some people may think I’m crazy, but this is when my love affair with New York blossoms again.  A majority of people escape the city, especially on the weekends, leaving the diehard New Yorkers to play with less crowds and chaos.  I love the unusually calm energy the city has and enjoy being outside as much as possible.  As I am sunbathing in the park, doing yoga, strolling through the city streets, or Sunday brunching, I always try to remember to stay properly hydrated.  I am usually carrying a bottle of water in my bag, reusing a GT’s kombucha bottle.  I like using it over the other stainless steel water bottles because there is something about drinking out of glass that make everything taste better plus the cap seals really well!

It is easy to forget the importance of drinking water and how it directly impacts your health, energy, and overall mood.  Even with my best intentions, I sometimes find myself feeling tired or headachy. Then I realize that I have gone through most of the day without taking a sip of water!  When this happens, it is always tempting for me to grab a Chai Latte or one of my other ‘caffeine fixes’ for an immediate burst of energy.  Since caffeine actually has a dehydrating effect on the body, this does not solve the core issue and the inevitable crash occurs.  The understanding of what your body is reacting to and needs, hopefully, will make you more aware and you will be able to make the more ideal choice of drinking water.  Therefore, I want to share some of the key benefits and the symptoms you may experience as a result of dehydration along with some other helpful water tips.

Water Benefits: One benefit everyone would love is that it aids in weight loss by assisting the body in flushing out unwanted toxins, enhances your metabolism and digestion, as well as being considered an appetite suppressant.  A healthy, glowing complexion is another wonderful benefit as water helps moisturize your skin, increases elasticity, and replenishes skin tissue.  Staying properly hydrated also promotes overall health.  You will feel more energetic as water increases circulation and carries nutrients to every cell in your body!

Symptoms of Dehydration: Since your body is between 55% to 78% water depending on your size with your brain consisting of 90% water the most common signs of dehydration are headaches and fatigue.  Muscle cramps, constipation, dry skin, and dark yellow urine are also signs that your body is most likely in need of water.

“How much water is enough?” This is a universal  question with the standard response being 8 glasses a day.  This is a good target to have but make sure to listen to your body and watch for the symptoms I mentioned above to gauge what is the right amount for you.  If you are highly active, you will probably find yourself needing more.

Water Quality: The quality of your water is definitely an important thing to consider. Unfortunately a lot of the bottled water on the market is not ideal and is actually just bottled tap water in some cases.  It is always good to consider getting a filtration system for your home, so you can buy as little bottled water as possible.  I have an EC 450 water ionizer in my apartment that filters the water and raises the pH level.  However, this is not always an option, so when you find yourself at the store looking at the variety of brands, try to choose one sourced from spring water with a pH 7.5 or higher and no added sodium.  I hesitate to suggest certain brands because there are always mixed opinions.  When I need to buy a bottle, I find myself buying Fiji most often, which has a pH level of 7.8 and has the cleanest taste to me.

Hint of Flavor: Drinking plain water can get a bit boring, so I like to give my water a little flavor.  Some ways you can make your water more exciting is by adding one or a combination of the following; fresh lemon, lime, cucumber slices, orange slices, mint, or cayenne. Recently, I have been adding drops of peppermint essential oil to my water, which I am enjoying because it is so refreshing!