By Dr. Monika Allen
Water restriction is the talk of the town in San Luis Obispo County, but are you facing a personal drought?
We all have water on our minds as we live through a drought in California but do we remember the importance water plays within our bodies as well? As a doctor, I consider both the external environment in which we live and the internal environment of our bodies. As an acupuncturist, I recognize the duality in the nature of water as described by the five element acupuncture theory. It has the potential to be powerful and yet remarkably peaceful and serene and it can evoke fear as well as utter peace and calm. It is the one thing that all forms of life depend on and where life on Earth began.
“In Five Element acupuncture, the element water represents the vessel for the life force, spirit, and being your authentic self. Water in nature is complete virtue, it is always whole, it is the source of all. It represents absolute Yin, absolute rest, passivity and receptivity. It symbolizes life and death with it’s destructive and creative potential. Every human life is the white cap of a wave, always remaining a part of the ocean.”
-Bastyr 5 Element Acupuncture
60% of our body weight is water, and we lose on average 1.5L of water via urine, and another 1L through breathing, sweating, and bowel movements every day! In order for your body and it’s organs to function optimally, it is necessary to replace this fluid loss. This can be done by consuming water and non-caffeinated beverages and 
eating unprocessed foods. Many fruits and vegetables contain up to 90% water by weight!
I recommend drinking one half of your body weight in ounces each day, for example if you weight 150 lbs, you want to drink 75 oz of water. Your health, diet, activity level and environment also influence your water intake needs.
Exercise-If you exercise regularly, you need to add an additional 8 oz of water for every half hour of exercise. If you sweat for a very long time, electrolyte replacement becomes necessary too.
Caffeine-You should drink 16 oz of water for every cup of coffee in order to adequately replenish the fluid loss from the diuretic effect of coffee.
Environment-Hot or humid weather causes increased sweating; heated indoor air results in added moisture loss through the skin during winter months; and altitudes greater than 8,200 ft can trigger increased urination and rapid breathing which use up fluid reserves.
Health-Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, chronic illnesses, pregnancy and lactation can all cause additional fluid loss.
A simple way to look at it is to drink enough water each day so that you don’t feel thirsty and still produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day. By the time you become thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated.
Easy tips for staying hydrated:
Drink a glass of water before you get out of bed in the morning.
Drink a glass of water between every meal. Avoid drinking a huge glass right before or during eating if you have digestive issues.
Make sure to hydrate before, during, and after exercise.
Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings. If you add a squeeze of lemon or lime and a garnish, you can still feel festive and you will dodge the dreaded hangover (which is largely caused by dehydration)!
Go grab yourself a glass and drink up! Salute! To your health!
Dr. Monika Allen is licensed Naturopathic Doctor and licensed acupuncturist practicing in San Luis Obispo at Dr. Zoe Wells Naturopathic Medicine, Inc. Dr. Allen is passionate about using integrative primary care medicine to care for children, adults and seniors as well as providing wellness education to help her patients prevent healthcare issues in the future. For more information, please visit our website at www.drzoe.com or call 805-541-2614.
