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The misconceptions about hydration are smaller but the impact of it is bigger on health. Believing the myths about hydration can affect your health with dehydration, bad health conditions and unnecessary panic. There is a need to bust those myths by revealing the facts. This can help you save your health and stay healthier.
Hydration is a basic need of your body. Your body needs water whenever it is drained out. This basic need can go wrong with the wrong information. Then it is nothing but complicating it for your body. Hence, you must know the popular myths and the related facts about hydration.
We have listed out the myths of hydration and busted each myth with the fact. If staying hydrated is crucial then knowing the myths and facts about is crucial too.
Myths About Hydration With The Busted Facts
1. Myth: Drink 8 glasses of water a day
Drinking 8 glasses of hydration is the biggest myth about hydration. It is mostly said, believed and followed. Agree that it is an easily achievable goal but its not the same for everyone.
The fact is, you must drink water as much as you need in a day. Your body may also need more than 8 glasses of water in a day. Even if you need less than 8 glasses of water, you must not wonder. It depends on the health conditions and your diet habits as well.
2. Myth: Drinking too much water is fine
We know that anything good excessively is bad. The same applies to drinking water. You need to drink sufficient water to stay hydrated.
If you think that drinking water too much is good for you then your body can affect the kidneys. Excess water reduces sodium level in the blood. It reduces the kidney’s ability of removing the water from the body. This condition of over hydration is termed as hyponatremia (R). Extreme hyponatremia can result in seizures, coma and it is also life threatening.
Read: Overhydration – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment And Prevention
3. Myth: Water is only way to stay hydrated
If you think water is the only way to stay hydrated then it is clearly a myth. Water is one of the sources that can keep you hydrated but not the only way.
The fact is, you can stay hydrated with vegetables and fruits. Humans receive approximately 20-25% of the water content from fruits and vegetable (R). Vegetables like cucumber and tomato can keep you hydrated. Watermelon, citrus fruits and grapes can keep you hydrated through the day. You can add loads of fresh fruits and veggies to your diet for hydration. Also consume enough water.
4. Myth: Hydration alone helps you reduce fat
Gulping fluids can reduce fat, it is a myth of hydration. It is a misconception created from the weight loss process. We can say drinking water can aid weight loss as it is a calories free fluid and appetite suppressor.
Let us bust this myth about hydration- water alone cannot help reduce weight. Water can cut off calories and flush out the toxins from your body. But relying only on water is not an effective process for weight loss. You need to include a high impact exercise routine and a healthy diet for effective weight loss.
Read: 7 Things That Happen When You Drink Salt Water
5. Myth: Drink water first in the morning
Here is another myth about staying water. Also it’s not a bad habit to drink water every morning. But if you are worried that you don’t drink water first in the morning then you need to know that it’s just a myth and not a fact.
The fact is drinking water in the morning is to prevent dehydration after a night sleep.If your body is already hydrated then not drinking water in the morning can be skipped. Drinking water in the morning is a good habit as it removes the toxins from your body and make you feel refreshed.
6. Drinking water mixed alcohol is fine
The parties pull you to booze more and more. You feel it’s good to drink alcohol with water to save your body from dehydration. This is only partially right and rest is the myth.
We would like to bust the myth saying the truth behind it. Firstly, yes alcohol drains out the electrolytes from your body and it leads to dehydration. Adding water to your drinks can help stay hydrated while boozing. But this is not enough to stay hydrated for a longer time.
You need to drink water before going to bed when you drink alcohol. And it doesn’t mean drinking water can save you completely from the side effects of alcohol. So, minimizing the alcohol is always better whether it is along water or not. Mixing water is only to keep you hydrated to an extent.
Read: 7 Good Drinks For Teeth (6 Drinks That Are Bad)
7. Urine color is the best hydration check
The best hydration check for many is urine colour and it is a big myth about hydration in this list. Yellow, lemonade colour of urine doesn’t mean that you are dehydrated. You don’t have to gulp a bottle of water when the urine colour isn’t clear.
The fact is yellow colour pee means you are still hydrated. Clear or white colour urine is just that your body is filled with water. White colour urine is flushing the extra water you drank within no time. But if urine is darker and smelly then you need to consume adequate water.
8. Drinking coffee can dehydrate your body
If you think coffee drains out all the hydration in your body then you are wrong. You will be perfectly alright with a 1 cup of coffee. It sets your mood right. So, coffee dehydrating your body is a myth.
Fact about drinking coffee is, you must not consume excess caffeine. Also there is no evidence that drinking coffee moderately causes dehydration (R). The big doses of caffeine without breakfast can lead to dehydration. Otherwise, it’s fine to have coffee with breakfast.
Read: 17 Remedies For Dehydration For Immediate Relief
9. Hydration is only drinking water when thirsty
Hydration is not only drinking water when thirsty. If you have believed this then it’s just a misconception. Whats not myth here is thirst is a sign of dehydration but it doesn’t mean you only have to drink water when you are thirsty.
The fact is that you need water when you are exercising. As you exercise, you sweat out and your body dehydrates. You may not feel thirsty but you need to consume water to prevent dehydration. Drinking water during and post workout is a must to keep yourself hydrated.
10. You need hydration only in summer
Thinking that you only need hydration in summer is a myth. You must stop believing this myth and start hydrated in all the seasons.
The fact is your body can go dehydrated easily in summers. The reason for high dehydration in summer is due to sweating. As you sweat more in summers, your body goes into dehydration state often. Hence, you are asked to stay hydrated through the day. But it doesn’t mean that you don’t need hydration in other seasons (R). If you keep the water consumption low then it can lead to dehydration in any season. Stay hydrated is important for any season.
We have covered the popular hydration myths and busted them with the facts. Myths about hydration can lead you to confusion about health and well being. Facts about hydration can help your body to get the right amount of hydration.
