10 Easy Ways To Get Hydrated
Being hydrated is hard. We’re told on average we should be aiming to drink 64oz of water a day. And for some of us with health issues we need even more. When I got my ileostomy loop surgery, my surgeon told me that I should be drinking twice as much to be hydrated (because my colon is disconnected).
Severe dehydration is the biggest complication risk for ileostomies, and I’m one of the people who had to be hospitalized for it. Maybe you think of a person who’s been stranded in the middle of the desert for days when you think of someone having to be hospitalized for dehydration, but you don’t need to be in the desert to be dehydrated.
So as someone who knows what a struggle it is to stay hydrated and has successfully stayed out of the hospital for almost 2 years, here are my tips to make it a little easier to stay hydrated or get rehydrated.
1. Use a straw
Fun fact! Using a straw can help you drink more liquid faster. Doesn’t matter the material, only that it works for you. Just be careful with hot liquids because they can accidentally burn you if drunk with a straw.
2. Take the tiniest sips
If you don’t have a straw and struggle with drinking something, it’s okay. Taking small sips is better progress than just staring at your cup and not drinking anything. You can also drink from shot glasses and take shots of water, or use spoons and act like you’re eating soup.
3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Drinking one cup of coffee or soda probably isn’t going to dehydrate you, but drinking multiple could. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which means they make you pee more. So if you’re already dehydrated you’re probably going to make it worse.
4. Drink something you like
Getting hydrated is way harder to do if you’re forcing yourself to drink something you don’t like. There are different waters, like tap, filtered, or bottled, and they each have a different flavor based on the minerals they contain. If you don’t like the water you have, you don’t have to drink it. You can also change the flavor of the water by adding fruits or powdered flavorings. If you don’t like any water, there are other things you can drink, like tea, lemonade, milk, juice, etc…
5. Electrolytes are important
Water isn’t the only component of being hydrated. You can drink distilled water all day long and still be dehydrated because you also need electrolytes. This includes sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, and bicarbonates. Drinks that can be more hydrating than water because of electrolytes include coconut water, milk, and milk alternatives.
If you’re struggling to drink more, there are products you can buy that are specific to help you rehydrate. Some examples of ready-to-drink solutions are Pedialyte, Gatorade, or Powerade. There are also powders that you can add to your water, such as Liquid IV or Propel, or tablets like Nuun.
6. It can be salty
Most drinks are sweet, but drinks aren’t the only liquids that can hydrate you. Soups are mostly liquid and are usually salty. If soup is too filling, you can also drink plain broth. Boil your favorite vegetables, meats, or bones in a pot of water and you have the salty opposite of fruit-infused water.
7. Eat your water
Sometimes drinking is hard, but eating is easy. If you’re able to eat, try to fill your diet more with foods that have high water content, such as watermelon, oranges, cucumbers, celery, and many other fruits and veggies. While fruits and vegetables might be healthier, they aren’t your only option. You can also eat gelatin, yogurt, ice cream, salsa, soup, or a stew.
8. Stay cool
Sweat is basically water and electrolytes leaving your body. So if you’re struggling to be hydrated sweating is not going to do you any favors. Do your best to stay cool so you don’t have to sweat much. With Summer coming up it’s going to be harder, but you can use things like a personal fan or mister to cool yourself.
9. Let it melt
Ice is just frozen water and popsicles are just frozen juice. You can fill up an ice tray with your favorite drink and make flavored ice cubes that you can just let melt in your mouth. Plus having ice in your mouth will definitely help you keep cool.
10. Make it fun
Getting hydrated doesn’t just have to be drinking a glass of water in your kitchen. You can get a milkshake or smoothie with a friend, invite someone over for tea, or try to see what fun combination drink you can come up with.
Bonus: Trick your brain
This is going to sound weird, but it’s something that works really well for me. I drink out of metal bottles with straws, because I can’t tell how much I have left to drink. It has weight when it’s empty because of the material, I can’t see it, and with a straw, I can’t tell until it’s done. So I’m not thinking ‘I have so much left to drink’ and it becomes way less overwhelming.
25 Thoughts on “10 Easy Ways To Get Hydrated”
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