Issue #190: How Much Water You Need to Drink for Optimal Hydration
Good morning.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: Drink the Right Amount of Water
Speed Read: Eat More Carrots
Tuesday QR: Sweet Potato Avocado Toast
“Water is the driving force of all nature.”
The percent of our body that is water. Our brain and muscles are 75% water, our organs are mostly water (heart = 79%, liver = 85%, kidneys = 83%), and even our bones are 22% water. (Source)
From the Lab
Some longevity hacks require time/research - like asking your doctor for the right blood tests (Issue #37).
Some hacks require money/investment - like regularly getting into a sauna (Issue #131).
And some hacks are simple, but take a lot of grit to stick with ‘em - like working out everyday. (Issue #30).
But here’s one of the easiest, most effective hacks to both feel great today and support your longevity - DRINK WATER.
🧠 BRAIN HEALTH: Even a 1-2% reduction in water hinders our memory, focus & creativity. In fact, our brain actually shrinks when it’s dehydrated because neurons require water to fire and communicate with each other.
🫀HEART HEALTH: Without enough water, our heart has to pump harder and faster to transport our blood. 20% of that blood is going to our kidneys so it really affects our ability to detox and remove all the toxins in our body.
💪 MUSCLE HEALTH: Working out with sufficient water increases our body temp - we end up doing less (lower power) while feeling more exhausted.
How do we lose water?
It’s obvious that we lose water when we pee and when we sweat - but, we also lose water while breathing, especially when it’s hot and/or dry. That’s why we get dehydrated on a plane.
So how much water should we drink?
First - don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Parched lips and throat are lagging indicators you need more water.
Baseline = 1 cup (8oz) of water per hour for the first 10 hours you’re awake
Ok - so that’s 10 cups of water.🚰
But again, that’s just the baseline - temperature and your activity will significantly increase how much water you need.
Check out this chart - if you sit all day and it’s a cool 60°F, then 10-12 cups should do it. But…if it’s 85°F and you’re crushing an hour long workout, then you need closer to 25-30+ cups of water!
I’ll help with the translation here - a liter is just about 4 cups. So if you’re super active on a cool 60°F day, then 16 cups of water should be good. But if I’m working out in 95°F heat here in FL (yes, I’m a little crazy) that increases to 32+ cups per day!
If you want something more specific, Andy Galpin gave his recommendation for water intake when working out (see video):
Body Weight (lbs) / 30 = # oz of additional water for every 15 min you work out
PRO TIP: To account for temperature, you can double this if you’re doing hot yoga or when it’s especially hot outside.
So - if I’m 180 lbs and I’m working out for an hour in FL heat, that’s an additional 48 oz (6 cups) of water just to account for that workout.
There are a few times during the day when it’s best not to drink water -
🍽️ During Meals - don’t drink water 30 min before and after a meal. Water impedes our digestive enzymes to break down food, preventing us from absorbing all the available nutrients. Feel like you need to “wash it down?” Well, that’s a sign to chew more while eating - get that jaw strong for better breathing! (Issue #159)
🛏️ 3 Hours before bed. Our kidneys slow down their function at the end of the day and too much water will disrupt our sleep (literally) with trips to the bathroom. (Issue #11)
Bottom Line - don’t get dehydrated!
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Eat More Carrots: Our eyesight doesn’t get worse with age - most causes are treatable if you catch them early enough. Experts weigh in on eyesight myths like this, as well as why you should channel your inner rabbit. (NYTimes)
Kids and Veggies: Do you have kids? Do they struggle to eat veggies? (Did I really just ask that?). There’s hope - try some of these hacks to help break through - focus on options/choice, involve them in prep, make the veggies taste better. Don’t give up! (Primal Kitchen)
Pesticides => Parkinson’s: Researchers at UCLA Health and Harvard identified 10 pesticides that damage neurons that can lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease. The list includes four insecticides, three herbicides and three fungicides. All are still active in the US. And, based on the combinations of pesticides, cotton farming appears to be the most toxic. (UCLA Health)
Tuesday QR | Sweet Potato Avocado Toast
Quick and easy avocado toast minus the toast. Sweet potato comes in from the bullpen to be the base and adds fiber, antioxidants and beta carotene - promoting a healthy gut, improving brain health and upping your immune system.
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.