How to Increase Your Water Intake for Your Back
By Sara Butler
Almost everyone knows the importance of drinking enough water throughout the day, but it seems like even armed with that knowledge, people routinely don’t get enough of the wet stuff. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, about 75 percent of Americans don’t get enough water. So, if you’re looking to work more water into your day, make sure you employ some of these water strategies.
Why Water is Important
Every single cell of your body needs water to function, and if you don’t get enough water, then it can impact body systems you may not realize. The discs that cushion the bones in your spine and help to provide support need water in order to do their job correctly and get the nutrients they need to stay healthy. So, not getting enough water not only makes you thirsty, it can also make your back hurt – which is exactly why your chiropractor is always reminding you to drink enough water!
Ways to Drink More Water
If the thought of drinking so much water in a day feels like a daunting task, then try a few of these tricks to get more water:
- Disguise your water – If you will choose soda or juice over plain water, then try to flavor your water to make it more enticing. You can spruce up your water by infusing it with cucumber, mint, citrus fruits or a combination of any other fruit, vegetable, and herb combination that appeals to you.
- Just eat it – The water you need in the day doesn’t have to just come in liquid form, you can eat it too. Choose foods that have higher water content such as soups, salad, or fruit. Just make sure you go for items that are low in sodium or you’ll be going the wrong direction in your journey for proper hydration. Lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, and tomatoes are all very high in their water content. So is watermelon.
- Wake up – First thing in the morning, guzzle a glass of water to start your day off right. Add lemon for a nice boost of Vitamin C!
Water is important to the health of your spine, so sit up and pay attention! Talk to your chiropractor at The Joint to find out how much water you should be drinking to keep your spine healthy.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.
