🏁 Axios Finish Line: Drink!

Stunning stat | Monday, May 02, 2022

Open in app View in browser     Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·May 02, 2022 May 02, 2022 Welcome back. We're at FinishLine@axios.com. Smart Brevity™ count: 494 words ... 2 minutes.     1 big thing: America's thirst Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   You need to start drinking (water) — fast and furiously.  Why it matters: Chances are very high that you're dehydrated. Studies show up to 75% of us are not drinking enough water.  Dehydration — even mild — hits every part of your body, from your brain to your gut to your skin. You may be dealing with a slew of ailments and annoyances that you didn't even know water could wash away, experts say. By the numbers: The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that the average man drink about a gallon of water a day and that the average woman drink 3/4 of a gallon. Reality check: You're probably not doing that. A gallon is 8 to 10 tall glasses of water. And the majority of us don't drink enough because we forget or get busy. Up to 20% of your daily water intake comes from food, but the rest you need to get from drinking. The stakes: Dehydration is a common cause of hospital admission, doctors say.  Researchers have associated dehydration with declines in focus and short-term memory.  And studies have linked drinking more water to the prevention of hypertension, constipation and urinary tract infections as well as weight loss. Here are our hydration tips, gleaned from experts and scientific literature. When? Drink water before and after meals to aid in digestion. And sip your water throughout the day instead of chugging it. What? Water is the best choice, but not the only beverage that counts. Walter Willett, an epidemiologist and nutritionist at Harvard's School of Public Health, says low-sugar teas and juices and seltzer waters work well to mix it up. Even light beer counts, he says. But get plenty of plain water too. How? Stay on top of your hydration goals by pre-filling and refrigerating reusable water bottles or large pitchers. You'll be likelier to drink enough if you don't have to remember to fill and count glasses. And if you're on the go and prefer cold water, freeze your bottles overnight so you'll get ice-cold water throughout the day. The bottom line: Drinking more water is a simple and easy way for all of us to improve our health. Share this story.     A message from Axios A smarter, faster start to your workday     Start your day with deeper news and analysis, custom-made for your profession. How it works: Axios Pro unlocks daily premium newsletters, exclusive deals reporting and subscriber-only events, designed to improve your decision-making. Try it free, or inquire about corporate subscriptions.     🚰 My hack Photo: Erica Pandey/Axios Erica here. I bought a gallon-sized bottle in January (pictured above) after noticing I was drinking less than half the recommended amount. I noticed benefits within a week of drinking a daily gallon: I'm less bloated, I'm reaching for fewer processed snacks and no longer mistaking thirst for hunger, and I have more energy, especially when exercising. It's easy to sip on as I work. And now I track how many glasses I drink even when I'm traveling sans bottle. Here's the bottle I've got. There are tons of options — including smaller vessels or ones that keep your water cold.   Thanks for reading. Invite your friends to sign up here. Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: