Senior Benefits of Drinking Water 

It is important for seniors to remain fully hydrated.  There are benefits to seniors for drinking water.  It is beneficial for our health.  None of us like to be thirsty.  Even a mild degree of thirst is uncomfortable and negatively impacts our health.  It dominates your thoughts until your thirst is quenched.

There are many benefits to drinking water, or having enough water in your body.  Conversely, there are also many reasons to avoid dehydration, or lacking sufficient water in your body.  Let’s talk first about some of the problems that can occur if you become dehydrated.

When we have a dry mouth, we all know we are dehydrated, that much seems clear to us all.  However, one of the first indicators of dehydration is a headache.  The brain is sluggish because it lacks sufficient water to carry out its necessary functions.

Additionally, mental fatigue may also be a result of insufficient water intake.  Sufficient water intake can improve your focus and your ability to concentrate.

With better concentration you will also have more energy and stamina to do the things you enjoy.

Water is Beneficial!

Our bodies are about eighty percent water by weight.  They are very adaptable to changing conditions.  When we become dehydrated the body will tend to prioritize its use of water, giving preference to the brain and the core of the body 

Our blood is primarily made up of water.  Adequate intake of water helps keep the blood from becoming to “thick” and helps maintain the correct viscosity or the ability to freely flow.  This lightens the work of the heart because pumping thinner blood is easier on the heart than pumping thicker blood.

Thus the body can more effectively transport nutrients to various parts and remove waste from the body.

 More Benefits of Drinking Water?

The down side of being sufficiently hydrated is the need to pee more frequently.  Yes, that can be bothersome from time to time but it is a small price to pay for the many significant benefits of sufficient hydration.  Even that inconvenience improves over time.

So how do you know if you are drinking enough water?  Check your urine output.  If it is clear or a light yellow in color and has little odor, you are probably in good shape. 

Conversely, if it is a darker yellow and odorous, you probably could use more water in your system.

Water Is the Best Hydrator 

Since the beginning of recorded history, the beverage of choice for humanity has been water.  Not too surprising since it was the most easily accessible beverage for most people everywhere.

In more recent years however, beverage choices began to multiply.  A cornucopia of soda drinks began to flood the market, backed by high-powered, well-orchestrated advertising campaigns that had the effect of altering taste preferences of millions of people.

Still more recently however, the pendulum has again reverted back to earlier times.  The many sodas in the market have come under close scrutiny and criticism because of their high content of calories and other ingredients that are suspected to be injurious to human health, namely obesity.

At its peak in 1998, per capita consumption of soda in the US was 54 gallons per year.

Americans now consume (on average) 159 gallons of water a day compared to more than half of the world's population that live on 25 gallons of water a day, according to Paul Ehrlich and the Population Bomb.

More people are realizing the benefits of drinking water.

Adequate Water Keeps You Hydrated

How much water should you drink?  A common recommendation is one-half your body weight in ounces.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink a minimum of 75 ounces of water every day, depending on your activity.

Our bodies are about 75 percent water.  If you wait until you feel thirsty you are already behind the curve and dehydrated.

Many times the feeling of hunger is confused with the feeling of thirst so, instead of drinking water, we eat.  The consequences of that choice soon becomes evident in our struggle with weight issues.

A good strategy to help reduce your food intake is to first drink water.  This helps to acquire the feeling of being “full”, which can also help reduce our food intake.

Some people don't like to drink water.  How about you?  Do you have good, clean tasting water sources (view article) where you live?  Do you feel like you drink and adequate amount every day or should you be drinking more?

As you can see, there are many benefits to seniors from drinking plenty of water. 

Related Articles:

• Healthy Eating Guidelines for Seniors
• Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Seniors

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