Water, H2O, Agua, l'Eau...

OK, you get my point! This weeks Make a Change is WATER!! We all know this, we have all read "drink 8 glasses a day!", we know that we are supposed to drink plenty of water... But do we? If we all kept track each day, most of us would only reach half way to our needed water intake. Now this isn't just a post to tell you to drink more water, I'm going to give you some surprising facts about dehydration. You will be amazed at what symptoms are caused from not enough water intake.

Here is a list is symptoms of dehydration:

• Increased thirst
• Dry skin
• Tiredness
• Headaches 
• Bad breath
• Muscle cramps
• Food cravings... What?! Yup, that's right!   

 “When you’re dehydrated, it can be difficult for some nutrients and organs like the liver which use water to release some glycogens and other components of your energy stores, so you can actually get cravings for food,” Higgins says. While you can crave anything from chocolate to a salty snack, cravings for sweets are more common because your body may be experiencing difficulty with glycogen production, he says.
Read more on that HERE .

Now for some tips to stay hydrated:

• Keep a water bottle handy. I don't drink from a glass because then I'm tempted to clean it up amongst the dirty dishes. I keep a 24 oz water bottle like this one filled. It is leak proof so I can carry it with me in the diaper bag or keep it handy while nursing or blogging. And actually, I have it sitting on the couch beside me, baby sleeping on shoulder and tablet on lap! I'm good to go! So, get yourself a water bottle and keep it handy!!
• Lots of fruits and veggies!! Produce contains a lot of water. Later this week I will show you how I use my juicer to make delicious and satisfying fruit and veggie juice! Its a great way to get in your veggies for the day, help stay hydrated, and it serves as a great addition to a small lunch or a snack. Sometimes I make juice for my breakfast and I feel great all morning!
• Try having a cup of tea! Coffee and other caffeinated beverages actually dehydrate. So for each cup of coffee you drink, you need to drink 2 cups of water.

I hope you found this post helpful, what are some ways you stay hydrated? Let me know!

-Tiffany