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038 – The Drinking Problem

Hey kiddos! Summer has finally come to Sweden, and if we’re getting warm weather I assume the rest of you in the Northern Hemisphere are melting! So in honour of the sun, I’m going to attempt to answer a question that has plagued me my entire life. A question that is vitally important these days: Absolutely Epic: Dad, how do you drink water? Like most problems, in order to find an answer we need to break it down. Why is it difficult to drink water? I’m going to assume you don’t mean physically difficult. If you are having issues with swallowing or choking, please see a doctor. I’m not qualified to help. That leaves us with two possibilities: the problem is the water... or the problem is me. Let’s start with water being the problem. What about water is unappealing to you? Is it the flavour, or the... texture? All things considered, this is pretty easy to fix. There are many ways to flavour water that doesn’t make it all that unhealthy. You can make a weak juice or squash, and those syrups are usually available in sugar-free versions. You can also add natural flavours by adding slices of citrus, cucumber, apple or mint - or a combination! There’s also these water bottles that flavours your water by adding... scent? I’ve never tried them but I have a friend who really likes them, and you’re not adding anything to the water itself, if that’s a concern. We don’t get as many options with texture, but I’ve found that temperature can really make a difference. Sometimes I don’t like the taste of  really cold water, and other times I drink more if there’s ice in there. Some people drink more water if it’s carbonated, or mineral water! Which is not the same thing! Your water quality can also greatly affect the taste, but that’s a problem too big for me to solve. But what if you don’t mind the taste of water at all? What if you’re the problem? This is where I’m at. I’ve struggled with hydration my whole life. I’m unbelievably bad at drinking water. Unless it’s very hot outside, I don’t really get thirsty. I’ve gone days without drinking a glass of water and never even noticed. Part of this is because I had a problem with public toilets when I was younger, so I got into a habit of not drinking a lot so I didn’t have to confront that whole... mess. My body is used to functioning on less liquid. That’s hard to change. I also don’t like the feeling of being too full, so drinking water with or close to a meal usually leaves me really uncomfortable. The solution for this is to drink a little bit of water, all the time. Which I never remember to do, because I don’t really get thirsty. I’ve tried habit trackers, I’ve tried apps that emotionally extort me with cute plants that die if I don’t water myself, I’ve tried flavours... None of those things work. The only thing that has worked at all is finding the right water bottle, and then make sure it’s always filled and near me. It doesn’t always work, but it certainly works better. Image info: Le Creuset 500 ml stainless steel water bottle. We also have to remember in this hydration-obsessed culture that drinking water is not the full solution. The recommended water intake is between 3 and 4 litres per day.* This can vary depending on weather, how much you move around and your general health. *Source: MayoClinic.org But that daily intake includes everything you drink or eat. Other beverages, food, it all counts. So if you have trouble drinking enough, eating water-rich fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumber can help you along. I believe that when it comes to taking care of ourselves, the first step is to put ourselves in a position where we actually do it at all. Pursuing perfection is a fruitless endeavour that leaves us worse off in the end. If you feel like you don’t get enough liquids in you, find the easiest possible thing you can do to change that and build from there. If you need flavouring, a crazy straw, or tricking yourself by eating fruit and sucking on ice cubes... Do it. It's better than nothing. Before we end I do want to issue a warning about drinking too much water. Hydration is great, but drinking a lot of water also flushes minerals out of the body. You need to replenish those minerals, by making sure you have salt in your diet, or by drinking something with electrolytes. Sports drinks usually contain electrolytes, but there are also supplements. If I’m feeling off, or if it’s very hot outside I try to drink an electrolyte supplement. Almost every time, I feel better after and I have an easier time drinking water. Our bodies are a complicated hotch-potch of needs and sometimes we think we have one problem, when we really have another. Consider all the possibilities and be patient with yourself as you try to find a solution that works for you. Good luck on your water journey. Don’t overdo it, and don’t be too hard on yourself! I love you, kiddo!
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