Track Your Hydration with Care&

Our app’s Health Metrics feature helps you monitor your daily water intake alongside other important health markers. Set goals, receive reminders, and see your progress over time.

Learn About Our App

Improved Cognitive Performance

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that proper hydration can improve cognitive performance by up to 30%, affecting reaction time, attention span, and memory function. For professionals in demanding fields, this cognitive edge can make a significant difference.

Enhanced Physical Performance

Even mild dehydration can reduce physical performance by affecting endurance, increasing perceived effort, and decreasing coordination. This matters not just for athletes but for anyone who wants to maintain an active lifestyle or simply have enough energy for daily activities.

Better Mood Regulation

Multiple studies have linked proper hydration to improved mood states and reduced feelings of confusion, anger, and depression. In a fast-paced environment like Toronto, this emotional resilience can be particularly valuable.

Supported Weight Management

Water consumption before meals has been shown to reduce calorie intake, and staying hydrated helps maintain proper metabolic function. Many people also confuse thirst with hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking when simple hydration would have sufficed.

Healthier Skin Appearance

Well-hydrated skin appears more plump, elastic, and radiant. While no amount of water can erase wrinkles completely, proper hydration helps the skin maintain its protective barrier function and can minimize the appearance of fine lines.

Better Detoxification

Your kidneys filter waste from your blood, but they need adequate water to function effectively. Proper hydration supports the kidneys’ ability to remove toxins and waste products from your body efficiently.

Reduced Risk of Kidney Stones

Staying well-hydrated dilutes the concentration of minerals in your urine that can form kidney stones. For those who have experienced the intense pain of kidney stones, this preventive benefit alone can be motivation to increase water intake.

Hydration Reminders in Your Pocket

The Care& mobile app can send you customized hydration reminders throughout the day. Download now to start improving your health habits.

Take Control of Your Hydration

Care&’s Health Metrics feature helps you track your water intake, set reminders, and see trends over time. Our Medication Tracking System can also help you identify if any of your medications contribute to dehydration risk.

Children and Teens

Children need proportionally more water than adults due to their higher metabolic rates and greater surface area relative to body mass. They’re also less likely to recognize thirst cues. Signs of dehydration in children can include decreased activity, fewer wet diapers, lack of tears when crying, and dry mouth.

For Toronto families, establishing good hydration habits early is crucial. At Care& Family Health, our pediatric care focuses on preventive health strategies, including helping parents teach children the importance of regular water intake.

Older Adults

The sense of thirst diminishes with age, putting older adults at increased risk for dehydration. Certain medications common among seniors, like diuretics or laxatives, can further increase fluid loss. Older adults should develop the habit of drinking regularly throughout the day, regardless of thirst.

Athletes and Active Individuals

People with active lifestyles require more water to compensate for fluid lost through sweat. For every pound lost during exercise, approximately 2-3 cups of fluid should be consumed. Sports drinks with electrolytes may be beneficial for intense workouts lasting longer than an hour.

Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

Water requirements increase significantly during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pregnant women need about 10 cups (2.3 liters) of fluids daily, while breastfeeding women require approximately 13 cups (3 liters). Proper hydration helps prevent complications like urinary tract infections and constipation during pregnancy.

Need Personalized Hydration Advice?

At Care& Family Health, our Nurse Practitioners can develop customized hydration plans based on your specific health needs, medications, and lifestyle factors.

• Extreme thirst
• Very dark urine or no urination for 8+ hours
• Dizziness or lightheadedness that interferes with standing
• Confusion or disorientation

• Rapid heartbeat or breathing
• Sunken eyes
• Fainting
• In infants: no wet diapers for 3+ hours, excessive sleepiness, or sunken soft spot

Experiencing Severe Dehydration Symptoms?

Don’t wait. Our Secure Admin Chat feature allows you to connect with our healthcare team quickly to determine if you need immediate care.

Kidney Function Decline

Your kidneys require adequate water to filter waste effectively. Chronic dehydration forces them to work harder and may contribute to reduced kidney function over time.

Increased Risk of Urinary Tract Infections

Proper hydration helps flush bacteria from the urinary tract. Without sufficient water, bacteria can multiply more easily, increasing infection risk—particularly in women.

Cognitive Health Concerns

Some research suggests that habitual low water intake may be associated with reduced cognitive function over time and potentially increased risk of cognitive decline with aging.

Blood Pressure Regulation Issues

Adequate hydration helps maintain proper blood volume. Chronic dehydration may contribute to blood pressure regulation problems in some individuals.

Digestive System Complications

Long-term dehydration increases the risk of chronic constipation, which can lead to complications like hemorrhoids or anal fissures.

Monitor Your Health Metrics

With Care&’s Health Metrics feature, you can track your hydration alongside important indicators like blood pressure, heart rate, and more—helping you spot connections between hydration and your overall health.

Learn More

Winter Dehydration

Indoor heating significantly reduces humidity, increasing respiratory water loss. Additionally, people often drink less in cold weather due to reduced thirst sensation. Winter dehydration can contribute to dry skin, respiratory infections, and fatigue during Toronto’s cold months.

Summer Heat Waves

Toronto summers can bring intense heat and humidity that dramatically increase fluid requirements. During heat warnings, water needs may increase by 50% or more. Proper hydration is critical for preventing heat-related illness.

Air-Conditioned Environments

Many Toronto workplaces, shopping centers, and public transit use air conditioning, which can accelerate fluid loss through respiration. Those spending long hours in air-conditioned environments should be particularly mindful of hydration.

Seasonal Hydration Consultations

Need specific advice for staying hydrated during Toronto’s challenging seasons? Our Nurse Practitioners can help develop a personalized plan.

Can I count coffee and tea toward my daily fluid intake?

While caffeinated beverages do contribute somewhat to hydration, they also have a mild diuretic effect. At Care& Family Health, we recommend that water comprise the majority of your fluid intake, with caffeinated beverages counted as perhaps 50-75% of their volume toward hydration goals. For example, a 250ml cup of coffee might effectively count as 125-190ml toward your hydration. Remember that caffeine consumption after mid-afternoon can also disrupt sleep quality for many people.

How can I tell if my headache is from dehydration or something else?

Dehydration headaches typically present with dull, aching pain that often worsens with movement, particularly when moving the head. They commonly affect the entire head rather than just one side, and may intensify when standing or bending down. A key differentiating factor is that dehydration headaches typically improve within 30 minutes to 3 hours after drinking adequate water. If your headaches persist despite proper hydration, it’s worth discussing with a healthcare provider. At Care&, our Nurse Practitioners can help determine the underlying cause of recurring headaches through comprehensive assessment.

Is it possible to drink too much water?

Yes, though it’s rare under normal circumstances. The condition, called hyponatremia, occurs when excessive water intake dilutes sodium levels in the blood. This is most common in endurance athletes who drink large quantities of water without replacing electrolytes, or in people with certain medical conditions. For the average person, the kidneys can process about 0.8-1 liter of water per hour. Spreading your water consumption throughout the day rather than consuming large amounts at once is the safest approach.

I’m busy with work all day and often forget to drink water. Any practical tips?

This is a common challenge we hear from patients at our medical clinic in Toronto. Try setting specific hydration “appointments” in your work calendar—these reminders can prompt you to drink water at regular intervals. Another effective strategy is using a marked water bottle that shows how much you should drink by certain times of day. The Care& mobile app can also help by sending customized hydration reminders. For some patients, we recommend the “finish before refill” rule: don’t get coffee, tea, or other beverages until you’ve finished your water bottle first.

How does alcohol consumption affect hydration?

Alcohol is a potent diuretic that can significantly increase dehydration risk. It suppresses vasopressin, a hormone that helps your body retain water, causing increased urination and fluid loss. For every alcoholic drink consumed, you lose approximately 120ml more fluid than you take in. At Care&, we recommend drinking one full glass of water for each alcoholic beverage and an additional 500ml of water before bed after drinking alcohol. This doesn’t completely prevent dehydration but can substantially reduce its effects.