Water - your body might just thank you.
Hunger is a sensation that we are all familiar with – or think that we are familiar with? How often have you felt that sensation and done something about it (i.e. had something to eat), only to find that you still feel hungry?
What if I were to tell you that the sensation for hunger is very similar to the sensation of being thirsty?
When the body is dehydrated it cries out for fluids in a similar way to when the stomach wants us to feed ourselves. Whilst we may feel that we drink plenty of fluids on a daily basis, we may not be drinking the right amount of fluid to nourish the body, and to give it the liquid it needs to be able to perform various important functions within the body itself.
A lot of the fluids that we drink today are caffeinated. Coffee, cola, tea, energy drinks – they all have caffeine in, and caffeine is known as a diuretic. If you have a regular intake of any of these, then you could be dehydrating your body if you don’t drink any water in-between these types of beverage. A diuretic increases the rate at which fluid leaves the body – usually through urination. The more you need to urinate through drinking beverages such as these, the more potential for your body to become dehydrated.
Thus, if the body is dehydrated, you will experience more of the sensation of ‘feeling hungry’. Only this is not hunger. We are not experienced in working out that it is not food we need as we tend to think that we drink more than we actually do. However, we can develop this skill. By eating when we think we are hungry, we are more likely to gain weight and yet still feel hungry! If we persistently have this sensation, then the best thing to do would be to have a glass of water and wait 20 minutes or so. If the feeling is because we are thirsty, then this sensation will go away.
Many people tend to think that if they drink often, they will need to go to the toilet more often – and in many situations that can put them off drinking at all (which will just make the hunger/thirst sensation worse). This depends on how much you are drinking at once, as the body will always move to get rid of what it perceives as ‘excess’ even if it does need it. The best way to get around this is to take small sips of water regularly. This way the water will be absorbed gradually, rather than a large glass of water sloshing around in your stomach, which the body will rush through your liver and kidneys in order to get rid of the excess quickly (which is where you will find that you keep needing to go to the bathroom!)
The body is 2/3rds fluid, and so water is a very important component for us, in order to keep us functioning efficiently. Current research into sports hydration has shown that even a small drop in our body’s fluid levels can cause problems with mental focus and concentration (amongst other things) – and you don’t have to be involved in sport for this to happen if you don’t try to stay hydrated. We lose fluid all the time, through things such as breathing (water vapour in our breath), sweating, urinating, as well as fluid in our stools (to help us to pass them more easily), so it is important that we can keep our levels topped up. We also need fluids for various functions within the body such as keeping our blood at a certain consistency, for keeping our eyes moist, and for assisting in digestive functions.
So, next time you feel that you have eaten sufficient and are still feeling ‘hungry’, take some time to consider whether you have drunk enough water, and maybe have a sip of the clear stuff to ward off those pangs. Your body will thank you for it.
What if I were to tell you that the sensation for hunger is very similar to the sensation of being thirsty?
When the body is dehydrated it cries out for fluids in a similar way to when the stomach wants us to feed ourselves. Whilst we may feel that we drink plenty of fluids on a daily basis, we may not be drinking the right amount of fluid to nourish the body, and to give it the liquid it needs to be able to perform various important functions within the body itself.
A lot of the fluids that we drink today are caffeinated. Coffee, cola, tea, energy drinks – they all have caffeine in, and caffeine is known as a diuretic. If you have a regular intake of any of these, then you could be dehydrating your body if you don’t drink any water in-between these types of beverage. A diuretic increases the rate at which fluid leaves the body – usually through urination. The more you need to urinate through drinking beverages such as these, the more potential for your body to become dehydrated.
Thus, if the body is dehydrated, you will experience more of the sensation of ‘feeling hungry’. Only this is not hunger. We are not experienced in working out that it is not food we need as we tend to think that we drink more than we actually do. However, we can develop this skill. By eating when we think we are hungry, we are more likely to gain weight and yet still feel hungry! If we persistently have this sensation, then the best thing to do would be to have a glass of water and wait 20 minutes or so. If the feeling is because we are thirsty, then this sensation will go away.
Many people tend to think that if they drink often, they will need to go to the toilet more often – and in many situations that can put them off drinking at all (which will just make the hunger/thirst sensation worse). This depends on how much you are drinking at once, as the body will always move to get rid of what it perceives as ‘excess’ even if it does need it. The best way to get around this is to take small sips of water regularly. This way the water will be absorbed gradually, rather than a large glass of water sloshing around in your stomach, which the body will rush through your liver and kidneys in order to get rid of the excess quickly (which is where you will find that you keep needing to go to the bathroom!)
The body is 2/3rds fluid, and so water is a very important component for us, in order to keep us functioning efficiently. Current research into sports hydration has shown that even a small drop in our body’s fluid levels can cause problems with mental focus and concentration (amongst other things) – and you don’t have to be involved in sport for this to happen if you don’t try to stay hydrated. We lose fluid all the time, through things such as breathing (water vapour in our breath), sweating, urinating, as well as fluid in our stools (to help us to pass them more easily), so it is important that we can keep our levels topped up. We also need fluids for various functions within the body such as keeping our blood at a certain consistency, for keeping our eyes moist, and for assisting in digestive functions.
So, next time you feel that you have eaten sufficient and are still feeling ‘hungry’, take some time to consider whether you have drunk enough water, and maybe have a sip of the clear stuff to ward off those pangs. Your body will thank you for it.
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