Are You Dehydrated and You Don't Even Know It?

I have been wanting to write a blog post on this for a long time and now I have the perfect reason to do so dehydrated A new little miracle product I’ve found, called ORAL I.V. But before I tell you about that, let me ask you a question.

Are you dehydrated?

I’m guessing your immediate answer is probably “No, I drink all the time!” Well, first, let’s cut out all the sodas, coffee, energy drinks and sports drinks, and just focus on water.

Are you getting enough water every day?

Chances are, probably not. In fact, studies have shown that up to 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Yes, I said seventy-five percent.

That may sound a little insane at first, but when you stop to think about it, if you aren’t drinking enough water in the first place, and then you add to that dehydrating beverages like coffee and alcohol, and then top it off with a diet that is high in sodium… there you have it – dehydration.

It’s a pretty common phenomenon that stretches across all ages, races, income levels and lifestyles. Because for the average American, it’s not about having access to water, as much as it is about making hydration a regular part of their routine. As well as something they are mindfully aware of.

Because in many cases, that is the problem. We are all so busy with our jobs, our families, social commitments, chores, kids’ schedules and list goes on and on… that often, as silly as it sounds, remembering to drink enough water often gets lost in the mix.

Whether you’re a mom who has been busy running errands and chauffeuring around kids all day, or a busy executive running from meeting to meeting, it’s unfortunately way too easy to find yourself near the end of the day and realize you’ve barely drank a thing.

This also happens in part, to a lack of knowledge about the symptoms of dehydration. Many people think when they’re dehydrated, they’ll feel thirsty, plain and simple. But, while that is true to a certain extent, there also a lot of symptoms dehydration that can be missed.

For example, fatigue. Feeling fatigued can often be a sign of dehydration, particularly when you feel fatigued in the mid-afternoon hours. But many people who feel this symptom often attribute it to not having enough rest the night before. Will often to try to “remedy” the situation with an energy drink or a candy bar. Which in the end, will only continue the cycle since cravings for sugar (or salt) are often.

Difficulty with concentration, focus and memory can also be a symptom of dehydration, as well as headaches and feelings of anxiety and irritability. Which again, means that mid-afternoon slump where you can’t concentrate, feel cranky and want a nap, may just mean you need more water!

Which brings us to the infamous question… how much water should I be drinking?

Although the “8 glasses a day” rule is a myth and there is no real magic number, you can get a good idea of how much to drink by using the simple rule of drinking half of your body weight in ounces per day. Meaning, if you weigh 150 lbs., you will want to drink at least 75 ounces of water each day.

That may sound like a lot at first, but it can be done easily by spreading it out in small amounts over the course of the entire day. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can also “spruce it up” by adding fresh fruits or vegetables (like cucumbers, lemons or limes) to it or by drinking naturally decaffeinated herbal tea.

It’s 100% natural, organic, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan and contains 0 calories. Which means it’s not full of artificial ingredients or chemicals that your body does not want or need. So it fits in perfectly with your clean eating diet!

So, what is in it then? Simply, structured water and trace minerals like sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium, selenium, chromium and silicon that aid in our bodies’ ability to metabolize water. Providing our cells with these important nutrients helps them to hydrate almost immediately and moves water inside of our cells, where we need it the most. That means, as opposed to just replacing electrolytes like many sports drinks do, ORAL I.V. activates the body’s own hydration processes and basically makes water work better in our bodies.

And the best part of all, is how convenient they are to keep on hand. I admit, although I am MUCH better than I used to be about staying hydrated (thanks to the adrenal fatigue), I am still not the best. So, on those days when I realize I haven’t had nearly enough water and it’s the afternoon, I like to grab an ORAL I.V. to give my body a little boost and then get back to drinking more water as soon as I can.

They’re also great to keep on your nightstand and drink right before bed, since they will hydrate you for the eight hours that you’ll be asleep, without the unpleasant side effect of having to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
In fact, the best way to utilize a hydration shot is to take one every day – just as you would a multivitamin or other supplement. It’ll help your body stay consistently hydrated (as opposed to riding the hydrated-dehydrated roller coaster) and will allow your body to work better for you!

The point is, our schedules and our diets in America today do not naturally lean toward healthy bodies. So it’s up to us to take conscious steps to keep them that way. By eating whole, organic foods, using non-toxic products, exercising and of course, staying hydrated.