We should all be looking after our health as best as we can all of the time. That said, some of us need a little motivation to do so. The Coronavirus is, or should be, about as strong a form of motivation as you can possibly get. Basically, in addition to doing everything you can to avoid getting it in the first place, you want to make sure that your body has the best possible chance of fighting it if the worst happens. Hydrating correctly is a key part of making this happen.
Water is the best source of hydration
Water is sometimes called “the universal cleanser”. When it comes to cleaning physical objects (including the outside of the human body), hot water is usually best. In fact, you generally want to have the water as hot as you can stand (hence the effectiveness of steam treatments). When it comes to cleansing the inside of the human body, however, cold water is just fine. That said, some people do like drinking plain water hot and if that’s you, that’s good too.
If you really can’t face drinking plain water, then try adding some lemon juice for a bit of flavour. Alternatively, you could try fruit teas, rooibos tea, green tea or white tea. These are all free of caffeine (and other chemicals) and you can drink them either cold or hot. If you’re having them cold, you might want to consider adding some fruit for extra taste and nutrition.
Lay off the caffeine (and other chemicals)
Black tea, coffee and fizzy drinks (especially energy drinks) are best consumed in moderation, if at all. Black tea and coffee are both considered to have some health benefits, although this is a complex area at the best of times and it has to be acknowledged that these health benefits can be negated fairly easily. For example, coffee is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but if you like your coffee with creamer and sugar/syrup then there’s a good chance that, at the very least, you’re undoing its benefits.
What is known for sure is that caffeine affects the brain. Many people rely on it to get them going in the morning and, from a health perspective, that’s fair enough (as long as you’re careful about what you put in it). The problem is that if you drink too much caffeine, you can become over-stimulated mentally and/or physically and suffer from issues such as anxiety and heartburn. The challenge, therefore, is to determine how much caffeine you, personally, can consume on a regular day and when you can consume it.
This challenge is complicated by the fact that the answer can depend on a variety of factors, some of which may change (possibly without you noticing). For example, switching from one brand of black tea or coffee to another can lead to you consuming more, or less, caffeine than you usually would. Similarly, changing your regular routine may impact your metabolism which is a key factor in how you react to caffeine.
Enjoy your caffeine slowly
Instead of trying to convince yourself that your caffeine intake is about hydration, recognize that hydration means water (or a liquid which is very close to water) and accept that black tea and coffee are essentially treats which happen to come in a liquid form. The same holds true of fizzy drinks (especially energy drinks). If you enjoy them, then enjoy them in moderation and give yourself time to make the most of the experience.
Instead of gulping coffee at your desk (except, maybe, first thing in the morning), have a proper coffee break in your kitchen. Take the time to sip it slowly, enjoy it and generally have a breather. Then go back to your desk and hydrate with water.
