Hey , hoping you're well.

In these weekly emails, I’ll share one idea and one habit I’m trying.

Always practical, always science backed. Sometimes provocative...

Each time, I’ll show you the default way most people act, and what living by design looks like instead.

This week...

Poor hydration across the nation.

Default decision: drinking gallons of water and spending the day reluctantly running between tap and toilet.

Designed living: Drinking less, but higher quality water, absorbing more.

We've been told for years that we need to drink 2L of water every day.

Is that really true? And is plain tap water best for us?

Or is this number just as arbitrary as walking 10,000 steps per day?

(Funny story: 10,000 steps came from a Japanese pedometer company choosing '10,000 steps meter' (Manpo-kei) as a cool sounding name, now the whole world clings to this figure of steps like it's really important...)

Here are two things you might not know about hydration:

a) People rarely die running marathons from dehydration, but from overhydration (hyponatraemia).

b) Having clear pee might not mean you've got the water you need, just that you're not effectively getting it out of your gut and into your body.

Why? Because water does not move into the body that well on it's own.

Don't get me wrong, I love water - It's free, zero calories and better than many alternatives (pepsi, Monster, 8 coffees...).

And this email isn't to put you off ever drinking it again - I just want you to ABSORB more of the water you're drinking.

I've worked in an office long enough to see people, every half hour run from bathroom, to water filter, to meeting.

And whilst that's a minor annoyance to the drinker...

It's nothing compared to the clients I know who aren't able to get a good quality sleep due to nighttime bathroom breaks.

And this isn't just observed in other people. A few years ago, I used to think I had Diabetes Insipidus. I just felt SO thirsty all the time, and would often wake up with a headache, temporarily 'cured' by glugging down pints of tap water.

SO.

What's are electrolytes, and how can they help you up your water game?

I used to think that water was best on it's own, because osmosis would favour the difference in concentration.

If you remember osmosis from school, you'll remember water moves across a partially permeable membrane (like your gut) down a concentration gradient.

But water doesn't flow that easily across the gut like this.

There're better ways, a key one involving a pump that pulls both sodium and glucose across together (called SGLT1).

Because the sugar and salt are actively pumped across together, they encourage water to follow via osmosis.

In fact, when this transporter's mechanism was discovered, it was huge news for the WHO who are often dealing with countries full of dehydration, diarrhoea and other disease.

So, when comparing a glass of pure tap water, to another with sodium and glucose in, more water will move into your body when there's salt and sugar moving too.

Ie. you drink the same volume of water, and more of it is absorbed.

Got it?

Note: When we say electrolytes or salts, we're mostly talking about Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium. The three amigos.

But it's important to remember that there are more, and that 'salts' is not just sodium in table salt...

Different fluids have different ratios of Ca, K and Na.

And whilst you may think of electrolytes as daily sachets that you stir into water, you can find them in bone broths, coconut water, sports drinks, fruit juices or milk.

All of these are great tools for improving your hydration.

But, if you resonate with the problems above, it's time to try a new daily habit.

Let;s get more water into you using the SGLT1 transporter.

Drink your own home-made electrolyte drink to improve your hydration.

In a litre of water, add the juice from 1/2 lemon, 1/4 tsp of table salt, and 1/2 tsp honey with water.

PS, I've found that adding these ingredients with a small amount of boiling water to dissolve - then adding the cold water has worked much better.

Why these ingredients?

Sodium from the salt, glucose from the honey, and Potassium from the lemon - which also has other health benefits and tastes great).

I've been doing this all week, having a hot 1/2 litre in the morning, and making a cold solution for later - especially post training.

Last thing: Cold water hydrates a little better than warm water. So you can keep that in mind too... I like both.

I hope you can give it a go and, always, let me know how you get on?

humans BEING is a community, I'd love to share success stories.

This is smart hydration.

This is within the remits of a human bladder.

This is living by design, not default.

TL:DR: You should ensure you're hydrating yourself. Electrolytes improve this process. You should try adding lemon, salt and honey to reduce the amount of fluid you need.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes.

James - humans BEING

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Disclaimer: The information I share is for education and general interest only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for professional care. Please do not start or stop any medication or supplement without guidance from a qualified health professional who knows your personal history.

The views expressed are my own, based on sources available at the time of writing. Logos, images, and short excerpts may appear for identification, critique, or educational purposes; all trademarks and copyrights remain with their owners. I aim to be accurate, and if you believe something here is incorrect, please let me know so I can review and, if needed, correct it.