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#136: Hydration: How to feel better, think clearer and boost your energy
732 Plays28 days ago
Staying hydrated might sound simple, but it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your health and in this solo episode, I’m talking about exactly why. From clearer thinking and better digestion to increased energy and physical performance, hydration plays a massive role in how we feel every day.
I’ll share the science-backed benefits of drinking more water, my personal hydration habits, and practical tips to help you drink more without even thinking about it. Whether you're struggling to get enough fluids or just want to level up your wellness routine, this episode is full of easy, real-life strategies to help you stay hydrated and feel your best.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
[00:00] Welcome to the Kate Hamilton Health Podcast
[00:16] Why hydration is the real foundation of wellness
[01:04] How water boosts energy, digestion, and brain function
[04:58] Simple tips to increase your daily water intake
[05:50] My personal hydration routine (and how I stay consistent)
[10:03] How to make drinking water an effortless daily habit
[13:13] Final thoughts and a hydration challenge for you
Links & Resources:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends who might benefit. For more health and fitness tips, follow me on Instagram and TikTok @katehamiltonhealth.
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Transcript
Introduction to Hydration Importance
00:00:08
Speaker
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Kate Hamilton Health podcast. So in today's episode, going to be a little solo one. So today we are going to talk about the importance of water, of hydration, all the different things that it's really, really important for that we might have forgotten.
00:00:26
Speaker
and kind of tips and tricks for increasing our hydration levels. So it's going to be short, snappy, but practical, which is always my aim. So look, let's get going and and get into it.
00:00:38
Speaker
So in the last solo episode that I did, I talked about the magic trio for good digestion, which is adequate protein, enough fibre and water.
00:00:50
Speaker
So water, taking on on from that, we've talked a lot about protein, we've talked a lot about fibre. Drinking enough water is so, so, so important to keep everything moving in your digestive system and so much more, which we're going to
Role of Water in Body Functions
00:01:04
Speaker
get into.
00:01:04
Speaker
So here are some of the things that water is actually important for in relation to health. Okay. Some of them you're obviously going to know. Some of them you might be like, oh, I didn't know that. So water regulates your body temperature and prevents dehydration. We all know if we don't drink enough water, we get dehydrated. If we don't drink enough water for long enough, we would die.
00:01:21
Speaker
And like our body can survive a hell of a lot longer without food than it can water. And dehydration can be very dangerous. we Any of us who are parents, we know this. Any of us who aren't parents, we still know this. Most of us know that how important hydration is and how dangerous dehydration is.
00:01:35
Speaker
It does regulate your body temperature. It protects your tissues, spinal cord and joints, which helps to prevent injury. Okay. So we often think, you know, injury prevention is all about eating enough protein and doing the stretches and proper form and, you know,
00:01:52
Speaker
all of those things. But hydration plays a hugely important part in preventing injury also. Quite often if we've like aches and pains and sore joints, it can actually be dehydration and upping your water. And like you what you might notice relief straight away, but over time you really will notice the difference.
00:02:08
Speaker
So water actually helps excrete waste from your body as well. through sweating, through weeing, through pooing, if you don't mind saying I'm so professional. It literally detoxes you.
00:02:19
Speaker
So it's how we excrete toxins from our body. It's really important that we get enough fluid into our body so that that our body can do these processes. Water also helps to maximize physical performance and boost your energy level. So if you're feeling a little flat, if your workouts don't feel like you're not feeling so as strong as usual, as fast as usual, whatever your performance goal is, hydration is hugely important in this.
00:02:43
Speaker
Water also prevents constipation, helps in digestion, as I've mentioned plenty of times before. And water also helps with nutrient absorption. Water also helps you to feel full. So if you're trying to stick to a calorie deficit, like water is not going to replace food, obviously, you know, and your food choices are going to be super important in keeping full, feeling satisfied.
00:03:04
Speaker
But drinking water regularly is really going to help with this also.
Daily Water Intake Recommendations
00:03:08
Speaker
It will improve your blood oxygen circulation for overall health. It'll boost your immune system and help to fight off illness.
00:03:16
Speaker
Water aids in cognitive function, helping you to feel clear and sharp. It helps to improve your mood. It's good for your skin, helping you to look younger and healthier. So there are so many reasons why we should drink you enough water every day.
00:03:32
Speaker
i bet you didn't think it did that much, but that's how important water is. That's how many different things. And I'm sure there's other things I haven't mentioned that water does within your body. It definitely seems to be worth the effort, doesn't it?
00:03:44
Speaker
And the thing is, a lot of people just do not drink enough. Now, when, before we get into like talking around, you know, how to get more water into into our diet, what I will say is technically all fluids count towards being properly hydrated. Okay.
00:04:01
Speaker
To survive. Okay. All fluids are going to count to survive. But what we're aiming to do here is not just survive. We are trying to thrive. Okay. And when we're trying to thrive, we really want to go above and beyond here.
00:04:15
Speaker
And this is where I really want you to start aiming for at least two litres of water day. And these two litres of water are being outside any other fluid consumption, because a lot of different types of fluids like black tea and coffee have properties that are going to dehydrate you. So it'll kind of have the opposite effect, which can counterbalance it a little bit.
00:04:37
Speaker
So although all fluids do count, Drinking more water is what is going to be important to see the benefits that we want to see from this change, if that makes sense.
00:04:48
Speaker
So for survival, everything counts. For thriving, we need to really focus in on water. So that can be challenging if you're not someone who drinks much water as it is.
Practical Tips for Increasing Water Intake
00:04:58
Speaker
These are kind of the tips that I would have for improving your water intake.
00:05:02
Speaker
So if you're out for the day, drink a pint of water before you leave. And I know some of you are thinking already, Kate, I'm going to need to wee 10 minutes later. Just make this when you get there, go to the toilet. Unless obviously if you're going somewhere where you have no access to a toilet for an hour, you might need to just calm down a little bit or drink a pint an hour before you leave the house.
00:05:19
Speaker
So you can do your big wee before you go. Get a pint of water into you before you leave and then carry just one litre bottle of water with you throughout the day to drink on the go.
00:05:29
Speaker
And then when you get home, when you're cooking the dinner or whatever, drink another pint when you get home. Because the two pints add up to about a litre-ish. So that'll be two liters water done.
00:05:40
Speaker
Okay. If you're at home for the day or at the office, aim to drink four pints of water, which roughly adds up to about two liters. Like that's what I would do. I would have a pint of water first thing in the morning when I get up, because we always wake up dehydrated.
00:05:55
Speaker
So before I allow myself have my morning coffee, a pint of water gets in and To be honest, it goes down quite easy at that hour of the morning because I am thirsty. I'll drink that. And then i will, after the school run, I will drink another pint of water then at my desk.
00:06:09
Speaker
I'll drink another pint of water after the school collection. And I would drink a pint of water when I am cooking dinner. I aim to try and have all of my water drank kind of before dinner time because I'm pushing 40.
00:06:24
Speaker
I already wake in the middle of the night needing to wee, which really disturbs my sleep and I really don't like it. I don't want to be waking several times through the night. So try and finish, like, you know, round it up, get the water into it by dinner time.
00:06:36
Speaker
And then be able to ease off on the fluids before bedtime so that hopefully it's not disturbing your sleep. But don't let weeing a lot be an obstacle for you drinking it. Because if you're weeing a lot, it it think about the toxins that it's taking with it, okay? So, you know, it really, really is important.
00:06:55
Speaker
So yeah, as I was saying, with my own routine, that's kind of how I i space out my pints of water. But yeah, like in general tips for everyone, I would say a pint of water in the morning before you have coffee, before you have breakfast. It's just start your day off right.
00:07:11
Speaker
Drinking some sparkling water. with dinner can be a nice substitute for fizzy drinks and sparkling water does count. Sparkling water is still water. So, you know, if you find sparkling water easier, that can be a nice substitution.
00:07:23
Speaker
And having green tea or herbal tea instead of regular tea, green teas and herbal teas do count towards your water intake. You know, if that might be something that you have in the evening time instead.
00:07:34
Speaker
might help you sleep better as well. Making little swap outs can make a huge difference. And that doesn't mean that you need to give up anything. I still love a good glass of Coke Zero.
00:07:45
Speaker
And quite often I will have a little glass of Coke Zero with my dinner because I enjoy it and I look forward to it. And it kind of gives me that little sweet tooth as well. So I will have that. I'm a big fan of coffee, so I will have two or three coffees every day.
00:07:57
Speaker
ah love coffee, but I will always make sure that I get my water in as well. So I'll get at least two liters of water. I will have my little glass of Coke Zero most days and I will have my coffees.
Water's Impact on Caffeine and Snacking
00:08:09
Speaker
And I'll have a cup of tea or two as well. So like I do actually consume quite a lot of caffeine, but I do also counteract that with plenty of water and a healthy balanced diet. So you don't have to cut anything out. We're just adding water in. But what you'll find if you're someone who leisurely is drinking six cups of coffee and you're surviving on coffee every day by having to actively put water into your diet, you ought to have enough time to drink all the coffees.
00:08:31
Speaker
If you're someone who is addicted to Diet Coke or Coke Zero and you're drinking too much of it, Having to get the water in is going to automatically push a little bit of that out. You'll still be able to have it, but you won't be having as much of it. So it actually by adding in water, it's going to solve a lot of problems.
00:08:47
Speaker
I've also noticed that if I start snacking on sweet things, ah if I come in and I'm like thirsty, but if I start snacking on sweet things like jellies or something, It's like if they kind of quench my thirst and then I'm not thirsty anymore to drink water. If I've had sweet things, I don't tend to need water.
00:09:05
Speaker
So I will always be conscious of that and be like, always have my water first because it's something I've noticed that after I eat sweet things, I don't feel thirsty for water anymore.
00:09:17
Speaker
So it'll be something I'll always do before I have, that like I'll always have my water first. You even, you know, and I don't buy jellies because I would just eat them all. But if I'm in my parents' house, there's always like Haribo jellies there. And I'm like, okay, drink a pint of water before you start dipping into the jellies.
00:09:30
Speaker
Because otherwise i won't drink the pint of water. So if your diet is quite high in sugar at the minute, you might notice that you find it quite difficult to drink water, but it could be because of the sugar content in your diet.
00:09:41
Speaker
And by actively putting the water in, you'll probably push out a little bit of the sugary snacks. Because you're instead of focusing on cutting out the snacks, you're focusing on drinking the water. It'll naturally reduce it. And it is like it's when we start adding things in, we crowd things out. like And it's just such a better mindset to making healthy changes in all areas of your lifestyle and your diet, not just water consumption.
00:10:03
Speaker
So like I was saying, in relation to getting the water into you by dinner time, like a good way to do this as well, can be like in relation was saying about the jellies or whatever, you'd be no snacks until your water's drank.
00:10:16
Speaker
Like, you know, the way i'd be like, no coffee in the morning till that pint of water in. In the evening time, I'd be like, yeah, there won't be any evening snacking until all of my water is finished. Just so I know I'm hydrated. I know I've got myself covered.
00:10:26
Speaker
When you're hungry, have a glass of water before you eat. It's all about habit stacking. So, you know, it's something, if it's something that you always forget about, stack it with what you do. Like I'll always reach for a glass of water at my desk desk now because it's what I always do while I'm working.
00:10:41
Speaker
I'll always reach for a glass water when I'm cooking because it's always what I do when I'm cooking. So, Do what works for you. If you're like before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, if you drink a pint of water, that's like a liter and a half.
00:10:54
Speaker
If you have a pint of water before each of those meals, stack it with stuff you're already doing. You know, like you might not want to, if you're going out for a walk, you might want to drink a pint of water just as before you go for a walk or a run. But you could be like, as soon as I get in for my walk, pint of water.
00:11:07
Speaker
soon as I get in for my run, pint of water. Obviously, if you're super active, And you're training a lot. And, you know, if you're doing any type of endurance sport, you will need more than that. I'm talking kind of general gals like myself that are walking, lifting a few weights, or even just anyone who isn't even doing that. But if you're doing more than walking and lifting weights, you you will need more
Gradual Increase in Water Consumption
00:11:27
Speaker
water than that.
00:11:27
Speaker
So I know for some people it can be really hard, ah really, really difficult task to increase your water intake. So what I would say is to gradually start building it up. OK, you know, if it's something you really can't do, start by having one glass of water a day first thing in the morning and then like put a drop in my wadi or, you know, diluted orange or blackcurrant into the rest of your water for the day.
00:11:51
Speaker
Because You're better off to be hydrated with a little bit of something in the water than be like, oh, I have to drink my water. I can't drink anything else. Do I drink my water? And then being totally shriveled up and dehydrated. You don't want that either. Okay.
00:12:03
Speaker
So I'd rather you be hydrated than be perfect, but do try and introduce a little bit of water on its own. And it is something, it's kind of a taste you acquire. It's a ah habit that you get used to.
00:12:14
Speaker
I find sometimes if it's really hot, it's lovely to have like ice cold water. But a lot of the time I like to drink my water room temperature. I live in Ireland. It's never that hot really. Like, you know, maybe sometimes in the summer.
00:12:25
Speaker
So like room temperature water is always nice rather than it being too cold. That can work for some people. I know my mum used to always drink cool boiled water, like kind of like was like lukewarm.
00:12:36
Speaker
That was kind of weird actually, but she she loved it. So whatever works for you, fizzy water, ice cold water, room temperature, cool boiled water or lukewarm boiled water, whatever whatever floats your boat.
00:12:50
Speaker
throw some fruit in there, you know, lemons, limes, berries, and infuse your water, you know, mint, like you can can make your water experience feel like a cocktail if you want to. It won't taste like a cocktail, but you know, it'll give you, it'll give you the vibes that you're looking for.
00:13:04
Speaker
And like I said, you don't have to cut everything out. It is just about prioritizing it for all of the reasons that I mentioned at the start of this
Conclusion and Social Engagement
00:13:13
Speaker
podcast. So yeah, as I said, going to keep it short,
00:13:16
Speaker
going to keep it sweet and to the point. And I hope that you could take something from that, that, you know, it really is like for our health in so many areas in relation to our cognitive health, in relation to our digestive health, to our immune system. Like there are so many different reasons we need to be hydrating properly for.
00:13:39
Speaker
Get drinking the water. And i hope you found this helpful. And as always, if you did, please do share the episode with your friends in your WhatsApp groups, on your stories. If you're ever sharing something on your stories, please do tag me at Kate Hamilton Health because I always love to hear.
00:13:55
Speaker
And yes, thank you so much for listening.