The best way to estimate the amount of water you need a day is by taking your weight in pounds and dividing that number in half. That give you the number of ounces you may want to drink each day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you might want to drink at least 80 ounces of water.
If you exercise, you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 30 minutes you are active. When you are traveling on an airplane, it may be good to drink eight to ten ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in a hot climate, you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can change from day to day.
At least twenty percent of the water you need will come from the foods you eat provided that you are eating raw fruits and vegetables. The rest will come from the beverages you drink. Water is probably the best choice; sweetened soft drinks and sodas have added sugar that adds extra calories.
Why Should You Drink Your Daily Intake of Water?
Water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight, and without water, we would die in a few days. The human brain is made up of 95% water, blood is 82% and lungs 90%. A mere 2% drop in our body's water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. (Are you having trouble reading this? Drink up!) Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated seventy-five percent of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. Pretty scary statistic for a developed country where water is readily available through the tap or bottle water.
Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions that make up our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning.
The Benefits of Drinking Water
When you are properly hydrated, your body doesn't retain extra water. If you are dehydrated, your body is in "survival mode." Meaning, your body is storing every drop of water is gets just to be sure it will be able to continue basic functions. When you increase your water consumption, your body will slowly realize there isn't a water shortage anymore and it will release its stores of water. Most people who suffer from water rentention are dehydrated.
In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking your daily water intake can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. And those are just a few examples!
Helpful Tip
Spread your water consumption over the entire day rather than drinking a lot of water in a single sitting. This will help keep you from feeling waterlogged. If you need help remembering when to drink, set a timer to go off every 90 minutes and drink a full glass or water bottle when the timer goes off. Rather than using plastic water bottles, invest in a reusable bottle that you fill with filtered water. This will save both money and landfill space.
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