Approximately 75% of Americans are estimated to suffer from chronic dehydration [1]. Considering we're made up of roughly 60% water, this is a startling statistic to learn about daily health and wellness[2]. Thus, it's crucial to understand how to stay hydrated so your body can function at its highest caliber.

Our bodies depend on water for many functions, especially detoxification. We're exposed to hundreds of toxins daily that we absorb from our environment, food supply, household cleaning products, and the air we breathe. When these toxins aren't adequately flushed out of our bodies, they can accumulate in our tissues and digestive tract and cause several undesirable health symptoms. Toxins rob us of energy, lead to digestive upset, age us faster than we can blink, and impair our natural defense against illness and disease.

But impaired body detoxification is only one problem associated with dehydration. Some of the most common health symptoms we experience daily are directly related to dehydration. These symptoms underscore how important it is to stay hydrated each day:

- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Low energy
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Confusion
- Brain fog
- Dry skin
- Sunken eyes
- Muscle cramps
- Premature aging

Even bad breath and difficulty concentrating have been linked to dehydration [3]. So, could dehydration be causing your health symptoms?

Next time your energy is low or you can't concentrate at work, try guzzling back a few extra glasses of water and see if you notice a positive difference. But don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water. By the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated [4].



The amount of water you require will depend on your activity level, diet (whether or not you eat a lot of high-water content fruit and vegetables), and the amount of coffee or alcohol you drink daily, as both substances dehydrate. The general guideline for drinking water is eight glasses daily, although there's no solid proof that eight glasses are the right amount for everyone. A general equation you can base your water intake on is your body weight in pounds / 2 in ounces. For example, if you were 130 pounds, 65 ounces of water each day would be the approximate amount to aim for each day.

It's understandable that with our typical busy lifestyles and chaotic routines, it's easy to forget to drink enough water. But staying hydrated throughout the day should always be a top priority since water contributes to helping us feel our best.

The following tips teach you to stay hydrated and add more water to your busy routine to feel energized, refreshed and rejuvenated daily.

How To Stay Hydrated Easily

Put a glass of water on your nightstand before you go to bed and drink it first thing in the morning. If you want to set your day up for success energy-wise, don't forget to hydrate before you head straight for the shower. Since water is one of the best natural energizers and "brain power” enhancers, why not start your day with hydration?

The easiest way to remember is to drink water before your day starts by placing water on your nightstand (far away from the snooze button) before bed. You can even add a squeeze of lemon to your water for extra digestive and detoxification support and an antioxidant vitamin and mineral boost.

Drink a Green Smoothie in the Morning

Fruit and vegetables are another easy way to stay hydrated. A green smoothie for breakfast in the morning will increase your water intake and provide extra nutrients for energy and natural detoxification.



I recommend some essential green smoothie ingredients: romaine lettuce, berries (fresh or frozen), Sun Chlorella powder, frozen pineapple, avocado, celery, fresh mint, and lemon or lime juice. If you're looking for a green smoothie recipe that has a great taste and incorporates plenty of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and hydrating ingredients, you may love our Chlorella Pina Colada green smoothie recipe. With the refreshing tropical flavor, it doesn't taste "green" at all.

Buy a Water Bottle you like (and carry it with you).

There's something about a good-looking water bottle that makes you want to drink more water. If you have a water bottle you love, you're more likely to carry it with you on your morning commute and to and from running errands. I guarantee you'll be more likely to remember to fill it up throughout the day.

I recommend purchasing a BPA-free water bottle, ideally made from stainless steel or glass. Many plastic water bottles contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as Bisphenol-A (BPA) that can leach into your drinking water and get absorbed into your bloodstream. BPA can upset your body's delicate hormonal balance and may even promote cancer, so avoiding plastic whenever possible is best.

Ask for a glass of water when you buy coffee or order alcohol.

If you can't imagine giving up your morning cup of coffee or post-work happy hour cocktail, that's okay. Just be sure to order a glass of water to accompany your bevy of choices to stay hydrated. Most coffee shops and restaurants will offer up a glass of water at no extra charge, and since you're already ordering a drink, you might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Increase your fruit and vegetable intake.

As mentioned above, fruit and veggies are a perfectly acceptable way of staying hydrated. Choosing to snack on fruit, such as apples, pear, or a few slices of watermelon, is an effortless way to increase your daily water intake (not to mention the several natural vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you'll also receive to promote your health and wellness). The same rule applies to vegetables, especially peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, and leafy greens.

Add flavor to your water with homemade vitamin water

And lastly, one of the easiest ways to remember to drink more water is by making it taste incredibly delicious. Unfortunately, store-bought vitamin water can contain up to 25 grams of white sugar per serving, which often accounts for only half of the bottle. Sure, there will be some water in vitamin water to help you hydrate, but white sugar's detrimental impact store-bought on your body isn't worth it. Besides, the richest source of organic vitamins is from foods that are found in nature.

For this reason, I recommend making your own vitamin water at home. Not only will you be able to control all of the ingredients that go into your vitamin water, but you'll also save a few dollars. Making your vitamin water with fresh fruit and herbs will also replenish your electrolytes that get depleted, such as potassium, which you lose through sweat during the hottest months of the year.

Since summer is when fruit such as berries, melon, and cherries are in season, how could you resist jazzing up your water with mouth-watering natural vitamin combinations?

9 Natural Vitamin Water Combinations to Stay Hydrate this Summer

These natural vitamin water combinations are easy to make and can be customized to suit your tastebuds any way you'd like. You can simply use the flavor combinations below to inspire your delicious superfood vitamin water creations.



To make homemade vitamin water, thoroughly wash and chop the fruit and vegetables, add your ingredients to a glass mason jar, fill with water, and top with ice cubes. It's optional to stir in a natural sweetener such as Sun Wakasa Gold (which also provides additional nutrients such as Chlorella Growth Factor) or add a few drops of green leaf stevia to your vitamin water if you'd like to make it slightly sweeter.

Watermelon Mint

Ingredients: 
500 ml filtered water
½ cup watermelon cubes
Three fresh mint leaves
Juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Raspberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
The juice of 1 lemon
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Blackberry Mint

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen blackberries
Five fresh mint leaves
The juice of 1 lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Pineapple Ginger

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup frozen pineapple
1-2 inches of freshly grated ginger
Juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Strawberry Lime

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Cucumber Grapefruit

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
Five cucumber slices
Four grapefruit slices
Three mint leaves
Juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Strawberry Basil

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
Four fresh basil leaves
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Blueberry Kiwi

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Four kiwi slices
Juice of 1 fresh squeezed lime or lemon
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia. 

Peach Basil Mint

Ingredients:
500 ml filtered water
½ cup fresh or frozen peach slices
Two fresh basil leaves
Two fresh mint leaves
1-inch ginger
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
3-4 ice cubes
Optional: Add a boost of antioxidants with Sun Wakasa Gold or lightly sweeten with 1-2 drops of green leaf stevia.