Reduce Autoimmune Flare Ups with Proper Hydration
When the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic began to sink in and we were all quickly pivoting our lives to stay at home for the unforeseeable future, I noticed that I was so thirsty all of the time. No matter how much water I drank, I could not quench my thirst. The only explanation I could attribute to it was Lupus. I mean the stress of the pandemic, the stress of adjusting to a new lifestyle, the stress of the unknown, I wasn’t surprised that I was experiencing a low-grade Lupus flare. I mean I would have been surprised if I hadn’t experienced any Lupus flare symptoms at all.
Around that time, I had been invited by a friend to participate in her newly published 14-day course, The Hydration Checklist. To be honest, I joined more because I wanted to be supportive and less because of any expectations of learning a whole lot about water. Afterall, I am a health coach, and I drink water all the time. (Eghmm, simmer down pride, simmer down.)
But even from day one I realized I didn’t know as much about water and proper hydration as I thought. One of the first things the course taught were the signs of dehydration. Nothing I hadn’t seen or read in textbooks before, but for some reason, this time, it just sat differently with me. Check out the list below.
Fatigue
Hunger
Brain fog
Headaches
Joint pain
Stiffness
Trouble sleeping
Bloating
Moodiness
Does any of the sound familiar? Sort of like an autoimmune flare-up, right? Or at least in my case, a Lupus flare-up.
I began to ask myself some questions: Was it possible that I was mistakenly blaming Lupus rather than dehydration? And was it possible that being dehydrated maybe made my flare-ups worse? How would I know if I was dehydrated or actually experiencing a flare-up?
I have to admit, going through the 14-day Hydration Checklist opened my eyes to what proper hydration really was and how it could change my overall well-being. I noticed that my thirst was not as constant, I noticed that I could focus better on work without so much brain fog, and I noticed that I was dealing with the emotional stress of the pandemic a lot better.
So am I writing this to tell you all that your autoimmune flare-ups are actually just dehydration? No, of course not. Autoimmune flare-ups are indeed very real and everyone experiences them differently.
But I want you to pay attention to the most common symptoms we feel during autoimmune flare- ups. We have an overall feeling of exhaustion, muscle and joint pain, headaches and brain fog, maybe some digestive issues, and trouble partaking in daily activities.
These are all common symptoms of chronic dehydration.
I remember in college when I would also experience these bouts of extreme thirst. And no matter how much water I drank then, I was always thirsty. My doctors would tell me that my hydration levels were great (I was drinking a lot of water) and that it was likely Lupus related.
I totally understand the feeling that so many chronic illness patients face of being dismissed by their medical care team. And that’s not what I want you to get from this blog post. I don’t want to dismiss anyone’s very real autoimmune symptoms. But I do want you to consider that maybe we’re not all as educated as we thought we were on proper hydration.
And if, in fact, dehydration looks a lot like an autoimmune flare-up, wouldn’t you want to rule that out so you can save yourself another trip to the doctor or medicine cabinet? Not to mention that you can likely decrease the severity of your autoimmune flare-ups simply by being better hydrated. I mean, if you’re having a headache from an autoimmune flare-up plus a headache from dehydration, that sounds like a double headache to me, and no thank you. I’ll have none please.
So let’s talk about what proper hydration looks like and how it can benefit you in your autoimmune wellness journey.
Proper Hydration
Have you ever noticed that when you drink a ton of water, your urine is really clear? Yeah, that’s not necessarily what we want to aim for. The point of drinking water is so your body can use it, not just help you get extra steps on your way to the bathroom.
Your body needs more than just water to be properly hydrated: water along with electrolytes, trace minerals, and fiber forms what is called gel water. Gel water helps your body to better absorb the water you drink.
Gel water is found in fruits and veggies; any hydrating foods that we eat contain gel water. You can also make it yourself by mixing water with a small squeeze lemon juice (trace minerals), a little sea salt (electrolyte) and a teaspoon of chia seeds (fiber).
You can absolutely drink plain water. But having gel water throughout the day - by either starting your morning with a cup of lemon water with sea salt and chia seeds and/or by consuming hydrating foods - increases your body’s ability to absorb the water you drink.
Just as you can’t rely on the color of your urine to assess proper hydration, you also can’t rely on thirst either. You might think you are well hydrated because you are not thirsty. But the first sign of dehydration isn’t thirst. In fact, if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. What we first feel is brain fog, fatigue, and slow mental processing, which we often credit to autoimmune activity, not dehydration.
When you are well hydrated, you have quicker reaction times and clear thinking, the ability to control emotions and responses, and greater concentration and productivity. And best of all, you have an abundant supply of energy to meet the day’s demands.
Abundant energy? Count me in!
Where does the extra energy come from? Water plays a crucial role in conducting your brain's signals. Your fascial system, also known as the body’s irrigation system, is a layer of tissue that sits between your muscles and your skin. Think of it like seran wrap that holds your body together. This is also tissue that oftens tightens up or gets stiff when you’ve been in a position for too long. If you’ve ever felt better after a relaxing massage, it’s because the masseuse moved your fascia around. When your fascial system is well hydrated it conducts electricity (our brain’s signals) more efficiently, it transports water to lubricate your joints, and helps to clear out toxins, waste, and inflammation so your body can function optimally.
Want to see what fascia looks like? Check out this video.
Additionally, your heart also benefits from good hydration. Your blood is composed of 90% water and can range in consistency from that of fine wine to that of runny ketchup. Think of it this way - the thicker your blood, the harder your heart has to work to get blood to every part of your body. This energy could be used elsewhere and is likely a cause for why you are feeling so tired.
+Collagen
Collagen is not necessarily a part of the perfect hydration formula but it is an important player. Collagen is what makes up your fascial tissue and it is one of the most abundant proteins found in the body to help restore and repair soft tissues. By adding in a collagen supplement you can help maintain the fascial system’s integrity, meaning better transport of water and nutrients all over your body. And as an added benefit, collagen also helps improve the health of your hair, nails, and skin.
Improve Your Hydration
Okay, hopefully by now you are catching on that drinking water alone isn’t enough to keep you well hydrated. You must have the right formula to help your body absorb and use the water for all of the amazing processes it carries out each day. So in addition to drinking water, you must also eat your water, and move it too.
Drink your water.
Each person’s hydration needs are different; things like lifestyle, environment, and weight all play a role in determining the amount of water you need each day. But to keep it simple, here is a good rule of thumb. Take your body weight, divide it in half, and that is how many ounces of water you should aim to consume each day. For example, a person who weighs 150 lbs. would aim to drink 75 ounces of water each day. Note, you should never exceed more than 100 ounces of plain water in a day.
A few way to drink your water:
Start your day with a warm glass of water with a small squeeze of lemon, a pinch of sea salt, and a tsp. of chia seeds - this will help you absorb water the rest of the day.
Commit to drinking a full glass (8 ounces) of water with your breakfast, with your morning medication, or before your first cup of coffee.
Designate a large glass or water bottle to keep with you so you can sip your water throughout the day instead of chugging it in large amounts.
Use a glass or metal straw to feel a bit fancier when you drink water.
Add some fresh or frozen fruit or herbs (mint, basil, etc.) to make drinking water more fun and tasty.
Set markers during the day to help you stay on track. For example, I like to make sure I have had half of my daily water intake by lunch time.
Eat your water.
Hydrating foods such as fruits and vegetables will help you hydrate in ways that water alone will not. Foods such as apples, cucumbers, spinach, bell peppers, and many others contain ‘gel water,’ meaning water along with electrolytes, trace minerals, and fiber. Remember, this is key in helping your body actually absorb the water you drink.
A few ways to eat your water:
Start your day with fruits and/or vegetables in your breakfast or make a morning smoothie. Try the recipe below.
Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie
½ Banana
½ Cup of Blueberries
1 Handful of Spinach
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder or Collagen
½ Cup Water
½ Cup Coconut Milk
½ Cup Crushed Ice (optional)
2. Replace processed and packaged snacks with sliced fruits and vegetables.
3. Aim to create a colorful salad, bowl, or soup for lunch. Make your meal look like a circus!
4. Add in one hydrating vegetable to your dinner plate.
Autoimmune Friendly Examples:
Veggies:
Cucumbers 96.7% | Celery 95.4% | Radishes 95.3% |
Zucchini 95%| Cauliflower 92.1% | Spinach 91.4%
Fruit:
Starfruit 91.4% | Watermelon 91.4% | Strawberries 91% |
Cantaloupe 90.2% | Pineapple 87% | Blueberries 85%
Move your water.
Another important part of being well hydrated is to make sure that the water you drink or eat gets to where it needs to go. Remember the fascia system we spoke about earlier? As the irrigation system for your body, it is a key player in moving your water around. When you sit for long periods of time, your fascia is unable to move your water around causing stiffness and sluggishness. Moving regularly throughout your day ensures your fascial system is well-cared for and functioning optimally.
A few ways to move your water:
Start your morning with 5 minutes of stretching.
Get up and take 5 minute stretch breaks to revitalize your body and mind.
Hit play on your favorite playlist or podcast and go for an afternoon walk.
Invest in a foam roller to assist your fascia and muscles in moving water throughout your body.
Join an Autoimmune Movement Class or check out the Remade Wellness YouTube Channel.
Next time you’re feeling inexplicably sluggish and tired, do these three things - drink, eat, and move you water. This will help you rule out dehydration on days when you are not feeling your best and know when it is truly time to reach for the prednisone or contact your doctor.
I have always loved drinking water. But once I enhanced my hydration approach, I really experienced clarity and understanding around autoimmune fatigue and flare-up days.
Hydration can prevent and/or significantly reduce the number of flare-ups days you experience. And for days when you truly are experiencing an autoimmune flare up, start with hydration first. It is key to getting you back to the vibrant, energetic self you know and love.
Drink up!
The Hydration Checklist
Are you ready to truly get hydrated? I want to encourage you to check out The Hydration Checklist by Dani Brudfolt. It is a 2-week course delivered to your inbox daily, along with the Hydrating Meal Plan ebook, so that you have small, accomplishable tasks each day. Not to mention you learn so much about hydration and your body at the same time. I have taken this course three times now and learn something new each time.
