Consistently drinking enough water each day is among the most critical things people can do to ensure their physical health remains strong. Proper water consumption can benefit your body in many ways, including:
- Helping your body regulate its temperature
- Aiding in weight control and weight loss, especially if water consumption replaces higher-calorie drinks
- Lubricating and cushioning of joints
- Flushing toxins from your system
- Reducing risk of various ailments, including headaches, kidney stones and urinary tract infections
- Protecting organs by aiding them in digestion and excretion processes
- Maintaining electrolyte balance, which supports heart health
While it has been said that people should drink eight glasses of water a day, the exact amount of water each person should drink each day can vary based on a variety of factors including age, sex, exercise level, diet, pregnancy or nursing status, and overall health.
Some tips to drink more water and stay hydrated include:
- Start the day with a glass of water upon waking up
- Bring a reusable water bottle to work each day
- Add a slice of fruit to your water, such as lemon, lime, orange or cucumber
- Drink water with meals, including when eating out
- Choose water over sugary and high-calorie drinks
- Pay attention to your body’s natural cues for thirst
- Eat foods that have a high water content, including cucumbers, lettuce, celery, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries and bell peppers
The Rethink Your Drink Challenge is an interactive and incentive-driven challenge that encourages employees and their spouses to increase their water consumption. The challenge began this week and runs through Sunday, Aug. 10. Participants who drink at least 64 ounces of water for at least five days each of the four weeks of the challenge and record that activity in the My Wellness portal can get closer to earning a university contribution towards a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account (if enrolled in a Marquette medical plan) and be eligible for weekly giveaway prizes. This is the final challenge of the 2024-25 My Wellness program year, which ends in mid-August. To register and participate in the challenge, go to the My Wellness portal.
Free general health coaching with a focus on increasing awareness of activities and behaviors that support an overall healthy lifestyle is available to employees and their spouses as part of the My Wellness program. To sign up for this coaching, call 800-882-2109, email coaching@marqueehealth.com, or log in to the My Wellness portal and click on “Coaching.”
