How Can I Stay Hydrated?

November 1, 2020

Who says drinking water and staying hydrated has to be boring? Granted, making sure your body is getting enough water takes a little more mindfulness than you might be used to, but there are lots of great fruits and sparkling waters that can make staying hydrated a little more fun.

Don’t believe us? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga proves it below.

How Much Water Is Enough?

Most experts and scientists alike recommend drinking around a gallon of water each day. The average American drinks around half of the recommended amount, so many of us are dehydrated on the daily.

Now, we know that drinking a gallon of anything in one day seems like a tall task. The reality is, however, that everyone’s body is different. A great way to know if you’re staying hydrated is by monitoring the color of your urine. If you’re drinking enough water to where your urine stays a clear/light yellowish color, then you’re hydrated. If your urine is a darker yellow color, you probably need more water.

How Do I Know If I’m Hydrated?

If your urine is a clearer, light yellowish color and is odorless
If you urinate every couple of hours
If your breath is relatively fresh

Is Drinking Water the Only Thing That Can Keep Me Hydrated?

Not necessarily! While H2O is what keeps your body hydrated, water can come in different forms like fruits, veggies and sparkling waters.

Water-rich fruits like watermelon and apples are great things to eat if you’re looking for ways to stay hydrated. Also, if you don’t like regular still water, try sparkling water! Sparkling water has carbon-dioxide added to it to make water carbonated which can make for a more interesting drink. In fact, the CDC even recommends drinking sparkling waters for those that find plain water too boring to drink.