According to a new Harvard study more than half of kids and teens in America are not drinking enough water. And poor hydration is the start of a slippery slope to poor health.

Our bodies are approximately 65% water and when we sweat or pee we’re losing water. And we sweat and pee more often than you think. The water in our bodies is used for a lot: from transporting nutrients, vitamins, and glucose throughout the body to getting rid of toxins, so it’s necessary to stay hydrated.

The water in our bodies also help regulate temperature. If your child is often cold even when it’s warm out, you might consider switching the juice for water. Although most beverages are mostly water, the artificial colors and sweeteners added take up time and energy to burn, making your body work harder and hydrating you less.

Don’t Stay Thirsty

Humans need hydration every 3-5 days or we’ll die. Unfortunately we don’t always reach for water to stay hydrated. Water truly is the elixir of life – it is at our core, and when we run out it starts to show.

Dehydration puts a physical toll on your body. Your skin is drier and bounces back less. It cracks and has a more aged appearance. You’ll become tired more quickly, think more slowly, and succumb to headaches more often. But spotting dehydration in your kids isn’t always easy.

With the amount of sodas, energy drinks, and juices it’s no surprise that half of American children are under-hydrated. Based on a urine-concentration test as part of the study, 54.5% of the kids in the study had inadequate hydration. This is likely because – and here’s the surprising part – 1 in 4 kids don’t drink any plain water.

That is seriously dangerous. Kids run around. They sweat. Their bodies and brains are still developing and need water to make sure everything is progressing as it should. If sugar is the gas, water is the oil that keeps the machine (our bodies) lubricated.

Without water we grind to a halt.

The study suggested that boys were more likely to be dehydrated than girls. It may be tough to tell if your child is dehydrated. Now, when you pee, you can if you’re dehydrated tell just by the color. Here’s a helpful chart.

How To Hydrate

The biggest reason most kids are dehydrated is because they choose something other than water. This is because “sweet tastes better.” So what do you need to do? Sweeten up your water. It’s easy:

• Add lemon: lemon water has a crazy amount of health benefits. If you haven’t already started drinking lemon water, start now! All you need to do is add a slice of lemon or two to a glass of water.
• Add any citrus fruit: oranges are a good alternative to lemon and kids will love the taste.
• Add other flavorants: cucumbers are full of water and a great way to stay hydrated. So cut one up, add some lemon and mint, and pop them all into a nice glass of water. You’ll thank me later.

That being said, another reason kids aren’t properly hydrated is their diet. Not just “not getting enough fluids” but not eating enough vegetables. Like I said, cucumbers are mostly water, but celery, radishes, and all the other vegetables kids hate are great hydrating veggies as well. Tomatoes, watermelon (d’uh), and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower should also be on the menu.

After reading this, you’re probably thirsty. So grab a glass of pure, plain water – or maybe add a bit of lemon – and enjoy.

Set a good example for the kids.

SOURCE:
http://www.today.com/health/your-kid-may-not-be-getting-enough-wateryour-kid-may-t25806
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/15/health/kids-teens-water-dehydration-summer/

Image Source:
http://jamiesthots.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/9Signs-of-Dehydration.png