Tips to improve your health
#1-Water is by far the easiest way to improve your health. Water is involved in every system of our bodies and we are mostly made up of water. How much water should you drink, you ask? Well it’s come under some debate. Conservative approaches are eight 8 ounce glasses per day and it can swing all the way to half your body weight in ounces . According to the International Sports Medicine Institute you should consume half your body weight in ounces for the sedentary person and up to 75% of your body weight in ounces for the active person. This same calculation goes for kids as well as adults. Reasons to increase your water intake even more are athletics, stress, vomiting, fever or diarrhea . An easy way to see if your drinking enough water is your urine should be relatively clear and odor-free. Most patients we see come no where even close to the 64 ounces that are the minimum suggested intake. So that’s a good place to start. Start slowly to let your bladder and kidneys get used to the increase. Sip water throughout the day. It may seem like you have to go the bathroom all the time but after a short transition period this should normalize. Signs you made be in need of more water in your diet are heart-burn or stomach ache, chronic pain, low back pain, depression or anxiety or even water retention. Some tips to increase your water intake are make water more accessible with filters and water systems, carry a bottle with you at all times, eat fruits and vegetables that have high water concentration and only have water available to drink. Coffees and teas and any alcoholic drinks can actually have the reverse effect and make you have to increase water even more to counter the effects of them. You can add lemon, lime or cucumber slices to the water to give it a little flavor if it helps you to increase your water intake. Speaking as one of the therapists here at Synergy Healthcare I can tell you there’s a big difference in the fascia (connective tissue) of the patient that is well hydrated and the one that is not. Myofascial release, scar tissue release, pain management control , mobilization of soft tissue and visceral manipulation are a lot more effective with proper hydration. As always please consult your physician or dietitian before starting any exercise or nutrition program.
