Your kids should drink more water. Period. Water is the single best “substance” we can put in our bodies without dispute. We could go about 3 days without water before dying. Without food, we could survive about 1–2 months! The human body is an astonishing “container” holding up to 70 percent water. Without water, we don’t have life.
Thankfully, many of us will never experience 2–3 days without water. However, many of us walk around every day dehydrated. Is this a problem? Absolutely. If you think about the mind boggling number of chemical reactions in our miraculous body (estimated to be 37 billion billion/sec), almost every chemical reaction involves water. So before we reach for remedies like medicine, caffeine, and food to cover up a need for hydration, here are 8 reasons your kids should drink more water.
1) Increased Energy
Our blood is 90% water. Water is necessary to carry oxygen. Oxygen is essential for creating ATP which is our source of abundant energy. When our kids are adequately hydrated, we are able to perform physical activities longer. Conversely, dehydration leads to early fatigue. So when you and your kiddos are feeling tired, avoid meds, food, or that second cup of coffee and go hydrate with the miracle substance, H20.
2) Healthy, Hydrated Skin
Sufficient amount of water is necessary to foster healthy skin conditions. If you or your kids are suffering from dry, itchy skin, rashes, eczema, chapped lips, and more, don’t be so quick to lather your kids in ointment and creams that may contain harmful chemicals. Focus on hydrating before you search for other remedies.
3) Improved Mobility
Sufficient water is critical for the cartilage in our joints that allows us to run, jump, and skip. The discs in between our vertebrae are mostly comprised of water and act as critical shock absorbers. When your kids are thirsty after a jam-packed, active day, ditch the sugary gatorade and drink more water (you can even throw in some electrolytes from a responsible source like Re-Lyte).
4) Mental Clarity
Mental clarity is an important reason your kids should drink more water. Water is necessary for the synthesis of critical hormones and neurotransmitters that allow our brain to function optimally. If your kid has an important life event, a big test/presentation, or is feeling just downright foggy, make sure they’re drinking enough water–it affects everything!
5) Intuitive Eating
Our body tends to confuse the thirst signal for the hunger signal. If our kids are staying properly hydrated, they’re able to better listen to their bodies and understand when they’re actually hungry.
6) Fresh Breath, Clean Mouth
Water is perhaps the easiest remedy for bad breath. It keeps your mouth moist and it rinses debris from your teeth, preventing a buildup of bad bacteria. Drinking water also stimulates saliva production, and saliva is our mouth’s first line of defense when fending off bacteria.
7) Ease Constipation
If your kids are constipated, reach for water, not laxatives. When our kids are properly hydrated, their bodies don’t need to take excess water from the colon, which means their bowels aren’t stressed and can excrete waste naturally, without any hesitation.
8) Prevent and Treat Headaches
When our kids are dehydrated, their brains can temporarily contract from fluid loss. This causes the brain to pull away from the skull, causing pain and resulting in a dehydration headache. Once rehydrated, the brain returns to its usual state, relieving the headache. Before you reach for the Advil, start with water!
How Much Water Should Our Kids Drink?
To stay well hydrated, children ages 1–3 years need approximately 32 oz (4 cups) of water per day. This increases to around 40 oz (5 cups) for 4–8 year olds, and 56–64 oz (7–8 cups) for older children and teens. It’s important to note that these amounts vary by individual and may need to be adjusted depending on levels of activity and environmental conditions like heat and humidity.
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Along with teaching your kids to have a healthy relationship with sugar, helping your kids learn to love water is essential for setting them up for a lifetime of wellness. The unknown benefits of why your kids should drink more water can never be fully captured in a blog, and the detrimental effects of dehydration can’t be fully spelled out either. If the benefits of water could be captured in a pill and offered as a new drug, we would fight both tooth and nail to fully stock our cabinets with this new miracle medicine. Thank goodness it’s free and that most of us are fortunate enough to have easy access to clean, pure, liquid life!
What aree your best tips and tricks for keeping you and your family hydrated? Let us know in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you!