Nutrition and Hydration Advice Based on Functional Medicine and IV Therapy from Toronto

Did you know that nutrition can affect your hydration levels? It’s not uncommon for our patients to opt for IV therapy from our Toronto clinic. This treatment can contribute to alleviating both nutrient deficiencies and dehydration.

Every part of your body needs H20 for optimal function. Water helps regulate your body temperature, loosens up the joints for daily movements, and helps detoxify the body Through perspiration, urination, and bowel movements. Meanwhile, all aspects of your quality of life require key nutrients for sustaining immune health, cognitive function, sleep, liver detoxification, muscle recovery, wound healing, cellular functions, for keeping red blood cells healthy, and many other countless reasons for the functioning of the human body!

The beneficial effects of nutrition and hydration go hand-in-hand. The food you eat holds a critical role in sustaining water levels in the body; these foods should help restock your levels of sodium, amino acids, and electrolytes. Meanwhile, when you get thirsty, the items you choose to eat or drink should promote hydration and help replenish optimal nutrients. 

Our dietary intake of foods and beverages should be laden with healthy fluids and essential nutrients. But in the Western world, the majority of food is low in nourishing liquids and key vitamins due to processed meals, refined breads, sugary beverages and candies, fried items, and high-fat foods. Not only can these foods impede hydration and nutrition, they can promote the formation of chronic conditions, hypertension, metabolic issues, and other health concerns. 

Recommended Reading: Nutrition and Hydration Advice Based on Functional Medicine and IV Therapy from Toronto

So, what can we do to improve levels of vitamins, minerals, and major antioxidants and encourage rehydration? The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre highlights some tips below: 

Quick Tips to Help Enhance Hydration and Nutrition 

• • Give your grocery shopping list a makeover: Swap potato chip snacks with fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain close to 90% water. Frozen produce is also suitable to buy. Some fresh produce can take weeks before ending up in your store or home; however, frozen fruits and vegetables are gathered and immediately frozen, which preserves their concentrations of nutrients. In one study from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, frozen fruits and vegetables (i.e. green beans and blueberries) were measured to contain ideal amounts of ascorbic acid, unlike low amounts found in fresh produce. 
  • Watch out for your signs of dehydration: You can become aware of how your body responds to increased or decreased hydration. So, when you’re thirsty next time, pay attention to how your body reacts; for example, do you get low energy levels and headaches? Understanding this can push you to hydrate frequently in advance to prevent these discomforts. The point is to catch your thirst or other indicators early to replenish fluids swiftly. Moreover, it’s ideal to reload your water intake before you get thirsty. 

• • Drink coconut water: If you’re not keen on water, try coconut water instead! Coconut water contains healthy levels of sodium electrolytes, plus electrolytes from potassium and magnesium, which are known major minerals. One study from Anthropology and Applied Human Science showed that coconut water was “…significantly sweeter, caused less nausea, fullness and no stomach upset and was also easier to consume in a larger amount compared with [carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages] and [plain water] ingestion.” This is why some integrative functional medicine providers (i.e. naturopathic doctors) may recommend coconut water as a post-exercise recovery drink. 
  • Get a modified treatment plan with oral supplementation and vitamin IV therapy: Has your mental clarity been clouded with brain fog lately? Maybe you’re experiencing poor skin health or a lack of energy, and you’re having issues bouncing back to optimal health. A functional medicine clinic like ours could apply lab testing to see if a nutritional deficiency, oxidative stress, lack of major antioxidants, etc. are potentially affecting your nutrition and hydration. Depending on lab results, we can advise on how to replenish your body with nutrients, while helping you adapt your diet with non-processed, whole food items. 

If you’re unsure that oral supplementation will be effective for restocking vitamin levels, intravenous drips (vitamin IV therapy) may be prescribed, which is administered in our IV Lounge. There are occasions where oral doses of nutrients can be compromised due to digestion. So, if you want to be assured of receiving a full absorption of vitamins, IV therapy may be effective because it avoids the digestive tract and enters your blood stream immediately. This treatment can rapidly rehydrate your body with electrolytes, and may also be scheduled after an intense athletic performance – this can promote efficient muscle recovery, while helping to prevent fatigue. 

Note: IV therapy should be administered in addition to a regular routine of oral supplements. When administered with a healthy lifestyle and other therapies, IV vitamin therapy could help promote wellness upgrades. 

Improving nutrition and hydration may require custom care for health benefits, especially if you have malabsorption due to a chronic condition. Please request your consultation with us to become a new patient. 

About the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre’s IV Lounge

Health goals are personal, and each individual patient houses different genetics, nutrient levels, lifestyle factors, and more. This is why we adhere to the principles of integrative functional medicine. This health care model allows for us to customize your treatment plan with a wide range of modalities adapted for your needs. These include acupuncture, allopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, holistic nutrition, booster shots, hormone replacement therapies, and more. 

We also tailor therapeutic doses of intravenous therapy according to functional medicine. IV therapy drips are available in our IV Lounge, where intravenous infusion treatments are freshly compounded. Without any added preservatives, we can prescribe natural ingredients for IV drips that are slated for your health condition, such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, amino acids with glutamic acid, glutathione, NAD+, folic acid, and more. 

Our IV Lounge is designed for each patient to sit back, relax and rehydrate! Let us know if you have any questions about your IV drip ingredients. We can also prescribe injection therapy with vitamin D, B12, and glutathione. Our wellness team consists of a medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, registered nurses and nurse practitioners, and vitamin IV sessions are overseen by our team for safety and comfort. 

Let’s test your own levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients! Our IV therapy Toronto Lounge can tend to your needs with unique tools, including functional medicine testing. Send the TFMC a message today to book your initial visit. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

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Clemente-Suárez VJ, Beltrán-Velasco AI, Redondo-Flórez L, Martín-Rodríguez A, Tornero-Aguilera JF. Global Impacts of Western Diet and Its Effects on Metabolism and Health: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2023; 15(12):2749. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122749

Gawronska J, Koyanagi A, López Sánchez GF, Veronese N, Ilie PC, Carrie A, Smith L, Soysal P. The Prevalence and Indications of Intravenous Rehydration Therapy in Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review. Epidemiologia (Basel). 2022 Dec 31;4(1):18-32. doi: 10.3390/epidemiologia4010002. PMID: 36648776; PMCID: PMC9844368.

Javier, V., Isabel, A., & Francisco, J. (2023). Global Impacts of Western Diet and Its Effects on Metabolism and Health: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 15(12), 2749. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122749

Killer SC, Blannin AK, Jeukendrup AE. No evidence of dehydration with moderate daily coffee intake: a counterbalanced cross-over study in a free-living population. PLoS One. 2014 Jan 9;9(1):e84154. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084154. PMID: 24416202; PMCID: PMC3886980.

Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Aug;68(8):439-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x. PMID: 20646222; PMCID: PMC2908954.

Roigk, P., Graeb, F., Geirsdóttir, Ó.G., Bell, J. (2024). Nutrition and Hydration. In: Hertz, K., Santy-Tomlinson, J. (eds) Fragility Fracture and Orthogeriatric Nursing . Perspectives in Nursing Management and Care for Older Adults. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33484-9_11

Saat M, Singh R, Sirisinghe RG, Nawawi M. Rehydration after exercise with fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. 2002 Mar;21(2):93-104. doi: 10.2114/jpa.21.93. PMID: 12056182.

Zhang Y, Coca A, Casa DJ, Antonio J, Green JM, Bishop PA. Caffeine and diuresis during rest and exercise: A meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport. 2015 Sep;18(5):569-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.07.017. Epub 2014 Aug 9. PMID: 25154702; PMCID: PMC4725310.