Drinking water is essential if you want to maintain a healthy heart. Learn about the connection between staying hydrated and heart health.
With the hot summer days and rising temperatures, it’s important that you stay hydrated throughout all hours of the day. Not only will drinking enough water help you stay active, but it will have a great effect on your heart health.
The body needs to stay hydrated to more easily pump blood throughout your blood vessels and help your muscles work efficiently. “If you’re well hydrated, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard,” says John Batson, M.D, a sports medicine physician with Lowcountry Spine & Sport in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Keep reading to learn how staying hydrated can help you and how dehydration can hurt you.
Drinking Enough Water
According to Batson, the amount of water you need to drink depends on physical exertion, clothing, climate conditions, and medical conditions. For example, people with diabetes, heart disease, and cystic fibrosis need to drink more water than people who don’t have these conditions.
While we tend to drink when we’re thirsty, you shouldn’t rely on it as an indicator of when you need to drink water. “If you get thirsty, you’re already dehydrated,” says Batson. Instead, pay attention to the color of your urine: if it’s dark, you need more fluids.
Batson also recommends that you weigh yourself before and after exercise as a way to measure how much water you’ve lost through perspiration. “For every pound of sweat you lose, that’s a pint of water you’ll need to replenish,” says Batson. On the other hand, if you don’t sweat during high-intensity exercise, it may mean you’re so dehydrated that you could develop heat exhaustion.
Water vs. Other Drinks
Drinking water is the best option when it comes to staying hydrated. You can also get water from fruits and vegetables. “It’s healthier to drink water while you’re exercising, and then when you’re done, eat a healthy snack like orange slices, bananas or a small handful of unsalted nuts,” says Batson.
However, you should avoid fruit juices or sugary drinks like sodas because they can be hard on a dehydrated stomach. “Drinking water before [exercise] is much more important,” says Batson. “Otherwise, you’re playing catch-up and your heart is straining.”
The Outlook
Dehydration can lead to several complications such as heat injury, urinary and kidney issues, seizures, and low blood volume shock. To avoid these issues and keep your heart healthy, make sure you’re drinking enough water.
As you stay hydrated, make sure you do other things that boost your heart health like exercise regularly, eat healthily, and take HeartBeet Complete. As a heart supplement, it promotes energy levels, circulation, blood pressure, and more. Give your heart the support it deserves by drinking enough water and taking HeartBeet Complete.
