Not every beverage hydrates you the same way and three common drinks may be quietly working against your energy, focus and hormone balance.
You may be drinking fluids all day and still be dehydrated
Hello beautiful.
We wrapped up our month on hydration, because hydration truly is energy. It’s how you feel. It’s how your hormones function. It’s everything.
But today I want to talk about something that may be quietly working against your hydration and your energy without you even realizing it.
Dehydrating drinks. There are three of them. And you’re likely drinking at least one of them every single day.
Why this matters more than you think
We think we’re staying hydrated because we’re drinking fluids all day. But not all beverages hydrate your body equally. Some of them actually pull water out of your cells.
And dehydration is a huge hormone deal breaker. When your body is dehydrated, your cortisol rises. Your energy drops. Your brain feels foggy. It becomes a slow, sneaky root cause of hormone imbalance.
Let’s look at the three biggest culprits.
#1 — Coffee
Coffee is one of the biggest culprits. Caffeine acts as a mild diuretic, which means it can increase fluid loss, especially if you’re drinking several cups a day.
And this isn’t just about coffee. Any drink with caffeine has the same effect. The higher the caffeine, the bigger the impact.
Coffee also raises cortisol. And cortisol is one of our beautiful daytime hormones, but when it’s chronically elevated, it becomes a hormone deal breaker. It’s a root cause of hormone imbalance. So when you drink coffee, it’s even more important to replace the water you’re losing.
The rule of thumb: For every 8-ounce cup of coffee, drink an extra 8-ounce glass of water.
#2 — Alcohol
Alcohol has an even stronger dehydrating effect than coffee. Here’s why.
Alcohol suppresses a hormone called vasopressin, also known as antidiuretic hormone. Vasopressin is what helps your body hold on to water. When alcohol suppresses it, your kidneys excrete more water.
That’s one of the reasons you may feel tired, foggy and thirsty after drinking. Your body is literally losing water.
The rule of thumb: Drink 8 to 16 ounces of water alongside or after every 4-ounce glass of wine. If you’re having more than one alcoholic drink, aim for a full 8-ounce glass of water between each drink.
There’s a lot more to say about alcohol, we now know it significantly increases the risk of cancer and can slow down metabolism for women. But we’ll save that for another day. For now, know that it’s one of the most dehydrating beverages you can drink.
#3 — Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks are very dehydrating too. Here’s what’s happening in your body.
Sugar increases the amount of glucose your kidneys have to filter. As your blood sugar rises, your kidneys pull more water into your urine to help eliminate the excess sugar. That increases fluid loss.
And many sodas also contain caffeine, which causes even more dehydration. Sugar plus caffeine is a real double whammy. And there are even cocktails now that combine caffeine, sugar and alcohol, which is dehydration in one glass.
So what should you drink instead?
The best choice is pure, clean water.
And here’s something worth knowing, for many women, room temperature water is easier to drink in larger amounts than cold water. It’s hard to drink a lot of ice water. But sipping room temp water throughout the day? That’s how you stay consistently hydrated. That’s magical.
A simple habit to start today
Here’s what I recommend:
— For every cup of coffee, drink an extra 8-ounce glass of water
— For every 4-ounce glass of wine, drink 8 to 16 ounces of water
— If you’re enjoying more than one drink, have another glass of water between each one
— Make sugary drinks and cocktails very infrequent
— Sip room temperature water throughout the day
Your cells, your brain and your hormones all depend on water to function at their best.
Small shift, gorgeous. Big change.
Key takeaways
— Three common drinks are quietly dehydrating you: coffee, alcohol, and sugary drinks
— Coffee raises cortisol and increases fluid loss — replace with 1:1 water
— Alcohol suppresses vasopressin, causing your body to excrete more water
— Sugary drinks force your kidneys to pull water out to filter excess glucose
— Room temperature water is easier to drink in larger amounts throughout the day
Ready to go deeper?
Real hydration is about more than just drinking water. It’s about giving your body the minerals and support it needs to actually absorb what you’re drinking and getting to the root causes of the hormone imbalances that leave you feeling tired, foggy or off.
That’s what we do inside NHS Circle. It’s our beautiful community where women get weekly guidance, real support and practical steps toward feeling fabulous again.
Small steps. Real support.
Love,
Robin xo
