Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. Your brain is 85% water. If your brain is dehydrated by as little as 1%, you’ll get headaches, slower cognition, short term memory loss, and progressively lower ability to focus and concentrate.

Every organ in your body is made up of water, including your bones. So, when you’re dehydrated, every cell in your body, every organ, every muscle, is affected.

When hydrated, your body works like an efficient, high performance machine. Your brain functions, all your organs function, waste elimination happens. Everything works better.

How to stay optimally hydrated:

1. Drink water. But the way you drink water is key. You can drink a gallon of water and still not be hydrated, or you can drink a quart of water and be fully hydrated. What’s the difference?

Keep this in mind when you drink: Sipping is hydrating. Gulping is flushing. When you chug water, some of it gets into your cells, but the real benefit of gulping is that it flushes toxins and waste out.

2. Keep track of the number of dehydrating drinks you have, because you’ll need to make up for those. For instance, coffee, soda, energy drinks, alcohol, are all dehydrating.

3. Eat hydrating foods such as celery, cucumbers, green leaves, watermelon, soups, fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Most fruits are very hydrating.

4. Drink most of your water between meals or heavy snacks. Drink very little with meals. Liquid at meals can dilute the HCL in your stomach that’s necessary for proper digestion.

5. One way to gauge your hydration by the color of your urine. If you are sipping water and eating hydrating foods, your urine should be light yellow with little to no odor. If your urine is darker with a more noticeable smell, you are dehydrated.

Get in the habit of staying hydrated and your body will work wonders for you!