By Sarina Lin, UC Davis Healthy Aggies Intern
Many of us know that we need to stay hydrated over the summer when it’s hot. We always hear, “Stay hydrated! Drink more water.” We get hot, we sweat, and we get thirsty easily in the summer. Right now, it isn’t hot outside and we don’t sweat as much during the winter. When it’s cold, we may opt for a warm drink. With a whole wide variety of seasonal hot drinks available to us during the winter, water almost seems unnecessary. Who needs water when you have all of these drinks?
- Water is necessary for our body to perform properly. Low levels of fluid could actually drop the body’s core temperature. This could be avoided by drinking enough water. How much is enough though? You should aim to drink “between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, everyday.” For example, if you are 150 pounds, you want to be drinking water somewhere between 75 to 150 ounces a day. That is around 4 to 9 single-use plastic water bottles. If you are going to work or school, carry a reusable water bottle to keep yourself hydrated and utilize the Hydration stations around campus to refill.
- Water is crucial for maintaining homeostasis, getting rid of waste products, keeping organs and tissues hydrated, and transporting nutrients. It could also reduce risks of getting sick.
- Signs of dehydration: “flushed skin, dark colored urine, dry or sticky mouth, headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, dry skin, and rapid breathing or heart rate.”
Hot seasonal drinks do contain water, but these drinks could be high in added sugar and may contain a decent amount of caffeine. Enjoy these but don’t be dependent on them to give you all the water you need.
Healthy Aggies at UC Davis 