Good hydration dramatically impacts your health, energy, performance, and emotional well-being. It seems like it should be easy to drink eight glasses of water a day, but many of us struggle to meet the goal.
Life gets busy, and the water bottle on the desk is forgotten. Only 22 percent of adults in the US get the recommended amount of water. So, what if I told you there was an easier way to stay hydrated than drinking eight glasses of water?
In their book Quench, authors Cohen and Bria describe a “newly identified phase of water that’s not quite liquid, vapor, or ice. (It is) identified by an extra hydrogen and oxygen atom, so the molecular structure is H3O2.” They call this substance gel water, and it is found in nature so there are no special products to buy.
Let's look at why hydration is so important and consider if gel water could allow us to work smarter instead of harder.
Health Impact
Few things as simple as hydration have such a profound impact on your health. Without water you starve every cell in your body, preventing them from working at their best. It is important for digestion, energy levels, blood volume, skin, and mind. Dr. Hyman explains, “Water is so essential for our brains that a loss of just 1-2% can significantly impact our cognitive function, making it harder to focus, concentrate, make decisions, or even connect with others.” Proper hydration impacts the following areas.
- Immune system - hydration boosts your immune system and can help prevent infections.
- Nutrients to cells - water helps deliver these vitamins and minerals throughout your body.
- Kidney & liver function - staying hydrated is vital in eliminating waste from your cells. This is crucial for the health of your kidneys and liver.
- Weight regulation - water boosts metabolism, increases satiation, and raises sympathetic nervous system activity.
- Brain function - adequate hydration increases sleep quality, improves mood and sharpens attention, memory, cognition, and ability to concentrate.
- Joints & skin - having enough water in your system keeps joints lubricated and skin supple.
- Negative symptoms - staying hydrated can help prevent headaches, irregular periods, and constipation. It helps regulate acid levels in the bloodstream and lowers your risk of anemia and heart attacks.
Gel Water
Gina Bria, an anthropologist studying how desert cultures survived with very little water, found out that her mother was suffering from chronic dehydration. Bria knew the Tarahumara people of Mexico used chia seeds to aid in hydration, so she instructed her mother's caregiver to add ground chia seeds to her mom’s morning orange juice. It did the trick and her mother stopped struggling with hydration.
Gel water is found in fruits, vegetables, & seeds (like chia seeds). Dr. Stacy Sims, a nutrition scientist at the University of Waikato in New Zealand and author of Roar, explains that plain water has a lower concentration of particles like glucose and sodium. As a result, it does not stay in our bodies as long as gel water, so it is not as effective for hydration. While ancient cultures didn’t know the chemistry behind this type of hydration, they used gel water to sustain themselves when water was scarce.
Hydration Tips
Small habits can make a huge difference in your hydration. Pick one to try today, then build on it over time.
- Start your day with gel water by adding citrus fruit to your water (lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc.).
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables that are full of gel water, contain electrolytes, and are high in fiber which helps the body absorb gel water.
- Drink and cook with bone broth. It is full of both collagen and gel water.
- Mix a teaspoon of crushed chia seeds to smoothies and other drinks.
- Cook with coconut and ghee. Both are full of gel water and electrolytes.
- Add 1/16 teaspoon of table salt to every eight ounces of regular water. This slows its absorption allowing it to stay in your body longer.
We can all use more energy and focus to get through the day. Prioritizing hydration will help your body and mind function more effectively. With these new tricks, you can get a handle on your body's hydration.
Dr. Jamie