Aging, Wellness and Water

We’ve all heard the old doctor’s recommendation for eight glasses of water a day. With all the tap water filtration systems, bottled waters, and water enhancements marketed to Generations X and Y, it’s easy to forget that the Baby Boomer generation’s eight-glasses-daily requirement is just as important, if not more. Dehydration can be a major problem for senior wellness.

Our bodies are nearly three-fourths water, and we use the water we take in to flush out waste and regulate our body temperatures. But older adults often limit water intake to avoid exacerbations on health problems had from other aspects of aging. Too much water may increase trips to the bathroom, which in turn may bother stiff joints, arthritis, or healing surgeries. What most seniors fail to consider is sheer dependence we have on water, and the increase in dependence our bodies require as we age. Limiting one’s water intake can prolong recovery times or worsen muscle health.

A simple way to reduce the probability of senior dehydration may be increasing water’s interesting qualities. Where coffee is part of many seniors’ daily rituals, water may take place. By adding a slice of lemon or a spring of mint to water, it becomes a fun and flavored, something to look forward to throughout the day, or as a way to wind down in the evening. Making hydration a part of one’s lifestyle, rather than a problem within it, is a surefire secret to aging well.