Getting Water Wasted: The Importance of Hydration

While you’re running around from class to class, don’t forget to stop at the water fountain – frequently. The truth is, most people, college students included, do not get enough hydration throughout the day. While you’re learning, it's even more important to drink enough water in order to keep your body running at optimal performance. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to illness and grogginess – both conditions that do not lend themselves well to studying. You may not realize this, but if you’re like most students, you’re probably dehydrating yourself more than you are hydrating. You may already enjoy getting chocolate wasted (or the other kind of wasted) from time to time, but you should consider getting water wasted sometimes too. It's actually really good for your health!

Frayed Ends of Sanity – Coffee and Hydration
Coffee can be quite handy if you need to pull an all-nighter. Heck, it even has antioxidants that can help your body fight damaging free radicals. I’m not one to discourage anyone from drinking coffee, especially students who need to be alert for their studies. However, there is one thing you need to keep in mind while guzzling the java: It is dehydrating stuff. Coffee acts as a diuretic, which means it flushes water out of the body. This is the opposite of what you want to do to keep yourself healthy. Again, I’m not saying to give up the bean. I’m simply advising you to make up for the lost water throughout the day. Experts caution us to drink no less than eight 8-ounce glasses of hydrating fluid per day. If you drink one cup of coffee, you should add one cup of hydrating fluid to your total intake. This will make up for the dehydration that coffee causes. Hydrating fluids are any fluids that don’t dehydrate you. This includes fruit juices, sports drinks and all types of water. Water, of course, is the best choice; but some find it hard to consume that much water in a day. Just try to avoid soft drinks: The decaf versions may have some hydration value, but they have way too much sugar (or sugar substitutes) to be good for your body.


Livin’ it Up – Alcohol and Hydration
When you drink alcohol, you’re putting yourself in the same boat as when you drink coffee. Alcohol is also dehydrating. Although some studies indicate that one alcoholic beverage per day is actually good for your health, most research warns of the dangers of alcohol. Even moderate consumption has been implicated in an increased cancer risk, so give it some thought before you pick up that beer. Maybe you should get water wasted instead. I’m not so naïve so as to think that every college student will abstain from drinking, but I do hope you keep it responsible. Follow the same rules for coffee consumption: One additional cup of water per day for every alcoholic beverage you drink. If you know you’re going to have a few drinks later tonight, drink a few extra glasses of water during the day. Not only will it keep your body running smoothly, but it will also help you avoid a hangover the next day.

Nutrition and hydration are very complicated issues because they deal with the complex inner workings of the body; but you don’t need to learn how to become a nutritionist to keep yourself healthy. Simply follow the basic guidelines of eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily (and more if you drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages), and you’ll be on your way to good health. If you’re on the fence about changing your ways, try to get a little creative with your water consumption. Add lime juice to the water and salt the rim of your glass to pretend you’re having a margarita. Or, pretend you’re at the spa with some refreshing cucumber water.