Water is life. While you may go without food for 40 days, you will not survive more than a week without drinking water or some fluid. Water is the most abundant nutrient in the human body as well as the most common substance on earth.
An average adult body is 60-75% water. Water is found in every cell, tissue and organ and almost every life sustaining body process needs water to function.
In healthy bodies, water intake and water loss should balance out. If you consume more than you need, your kidneys simply excrete the extra. To know if you’re drinking enough water, check your urine. If it looks yellow or orange you aren’t drinking enough water. Almost clear urine means adequately drinking enough water. (Keep in mind that certain B Complex Vitamins can yellow your urine, but you still have to monitor your water intake to see if you are getting enough.)
Signs of Dehydration
When you don’t drink enough water, your body may trigger a signs of thirst. Although thirst signals the need to drink water, you actually need water long before you become thirsty. This is especially important for seniors, children, and for anyone during illness, hot weather or strenuous physical activity. Waiting until you feel thirsty to drink, is simply not wise. It means that you’re already deficient by two or more cups of water.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
The average adult loses about 10 cups of water daily through perspiration, urination, and bowel movements and breathing. This loss of hydration needs to be repleted because the body doesn’t store water for extra supply. How much water the body needs depends on the amount of calories used as well as your body weight, level of physical activity, diet, exposure to dry air, pregnancy and illness. If you are trying to lose weight or stop smoking you need to drink about twice as much water, to flush the fat and toxins out of your system.
To keep your body well hydrated, drink 8 to 12 cups of water spaced out through the day. Milk, juice and other beverages do not count toward your daily water intake. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are not substitute for water since caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, causing the body to lose water through increased urination.
Important Facts About Drinking More Water
Remember these simple proven facts about drinking water and share them with family and friends.
- Drinking half your body weight of water in ounces will help keep you hydrated.
- Every cell, tissue and organ in your body requires water to function properly, so drink up.
- Drinking more water can help you lose weight.
- Drinking more water helps your body detoxify.
- Drinking more water can help improve your mental clarity.
- Drinking more water can help improve your level of physical performance.
- Drinking more water can help your skin stay hydrated and smooth.
- Drinking more water can help your digestion.
- Drinking more water can help you feel more alert and focused.
- Drinking more water can help to boost your energy levels. Being even mildly dehydrated can drain you of energy, leaving you feeling fatigued, sometimes dizzy and with no motivation.
- Drinking more water can help your body to flush toxins and waste products.
- Drinking more water helps to maintain balance of bodily fluids
- Drinking the right kind of water (alkaline, ionized) provides an abundant source of antioxidants, which fight off those pesky free radicals, which threaten good health and well-being.
TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR DRINKING WATER INTAKE:
• Carry a Water Bottle! Fill it with water and keep it handy throughout the day. Drink at least two of these each day.
• Do not drink water with your meals and snacks. That only dilutes the digestive juices and causes undigested food to enter your colon, causing bloating and gas. When you drink while eating the fluid prevent the enzymes in your saliva that from breaking down foods so your body can properly absorb the nutrients and they also act as a predigest .
• Before, during and after any physical activity, DRINK water, especially in hot weather. Drink every 15 to 20 minutes while you exercise. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty!!
• Don’t just drink any water, drink alkaline water that’s clean and mineral.
• If you drink water other than alkaline water, add a lemon, or lime slice to alkalize your glass of water.
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