How To Hydrate Smarter

If you refill your bottle religiously yet still feel foggy, flat or inexplicably thirsty, electrolytes could be the missing link. “Hydration is governed by electrolytes,” explains nutritional therapist Phoebe Liebling. “Without enough of them – particularly sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride – water simply doesn’t move through the body in the way it should.” The problem is electrolytes have been wildly misunderstood. Traditionally, they were reserved for athletes, stomach bugs or extreme fluid loss, which is why many classic formulas are loaded with sodium and sugar. “Those are rehydration solutions, not daily wellness tools,” says Phoebe. When electrolyte brands went mainstream, many removed the sugar but left sodium levels high, creating products that sound virtuous but aren’t always optimally absorbed.

Fortunately, a wave of new formulas is changing things. Typically flavourless, sugar-free and balanced, they don’t just support hydration – they change how water functions in the body. “People often report steadier energy, clearer focus, fewer cravings, improved digestion, better sleep and noticeably plumper skin,” adds Phoebe. To keep things simple, she recommends adding a liquid electrolyte to your daily water rather than treating it like a supplement you remember occasionally. Her top pick is Oshun, which she rates for its purity. “It delivers essential electrolytes in their active, charged form, with no unnecessary additions. Plus, it’s simple to use – just two pumps per 500ml of water and you’re all set.”

Long before Stanley cups, Ayurveda understood something modern wellness is only just rediscovering – hydration isn’t about how much you drink, but how well you absorb. “Ayurveda takes a digestion-first approach,” explains Anita Kaushal, co-founder of Mauli Rituals. “You can drink litres of water but if digestion is weak, that fluid won’t properly nourish the tissues.” At the heart of Ayurvedic hydration is agni – aka your digestive fire. Strong agni allows fluids to flow easily through the body, while weak agni leads to bloating, heaviness, puffiness and that paradoxical feeling of being both overhydrated and thirsty. It’s also why Ayurveda discourages ice-cold water altogether. “Cold dampens digestive fire,” says Anita. “It’s like pouring water on a flame.”

Instead, Ayurveda encourages room-temperature or warm water, sipped little and often. Anita recommends starting the day with warm water to stimulate elimination; sipping regularly rather than gulping; adding ginger in winter to stoke warmth; or lemon and mineral salt in the summer to replenish. “And remember, hydration isn’t just liquid,” she says. “Water-rich foods, stewed fruits and nourishing meals all count.”

If electrolytes help water do its job, hydrogen water focuses on what happens once it reaches your cells. Long favoured by athletes and longevity insiders, it’s now edging into everyday wellness – helped by smart bottles and easy-to-use tablets that make the habit feel less niche. Hydrogen water is simply water infused with extra hydrogen, which helps the body deal with everyday stress – the kind that builds up from busy schedules, intense workouts, poor sleep and general life overload. Rather than flooding the body with blanket antioxidants, hydrogen works in a more selective way, supporting recovery without disrupting the systems your body relies on to function well. For many, the benefits feel subtle but tangible – clearer thinking, more stable energy and faster recovery after workouts.  

Design-led bottles like the Echo Flask have played a big role in hydrogen’s rise. With the press of a button, it infuses water with hydrogen, with users reporting better energy and a general sense of feeling more switched on. For a more flexible approach, hydrogen tablets have also become a go-to. H2Tabs dissolve easily in water, releasing molecular hydrogen alongside magnesium to support energy and muscle function, offering a low-effort way to experiment with hydrogen without committing to a dedicated bottle.

Hydration doesn’t just deliver nutrients – it can also carry what you’d rather avoid. That’s why water filtration has become a serious wellness conversation, especially in women’s health. “We now understand daily, low-level toxin exposure matters,” says Jess Shand, naturopathic nutritionist. “Tap water can contain hormone-disrupting compounds that add to the body’s total load.” These include chlorine by-products, heavy metals from old plumbing and even traces of pharmaceuticals. While not immediately harmful, they place extra pressure on the liver – the organ responsible for clearing hormones. “When the liver is overwhelmed, hormone clearance becomes less efficient. Over time, this can contribute to oestrogen dominance,” says Jess. “This can lead to symptoms like heavy or painful periods, PMS, migraines, cyclical breast tenderness, acne and stubborn weight gain. When you reduce exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals, your liver will become more efficient, inflammation will reduce, and, because chlorine can negatively impact the microbiome, gut health can improve, too.”

When it comes to choosing a filter, practicality matters. A glass jug filter is often the easiest place to start, while countertop, gravity-fed systems suit those who want a more thorough option without dealing with plumbing, while under-sink or reverse-osmosis filters work best for households looking for a longer-term solution. Jess suggests choosing brands that are clear about what they remove and are independently tested, such as Water2Filter, Berkey, AquaTru and Aarke. After all, smart hydration isn’t just about what you add to your water – but what you choose to filter out. 

Visit LIEBLINGHEALTH.COM, MAULIRITUALS.COM &  JESSICASHANDHEALTH.COM