Water, Water Every Where...

Water is perhaps the most neglected nutrient out there.  In the past water as a drink was shunned because the cleanliness of water supplies could not be guarenteed.  In the present day it is much easier, and socially acceptable to grab a cup of coffee, an energy drink or a can of pop to drink rather than water.  Most people know that they should be drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water a day, yet they don't.   Dehydration shouldn't just be a concern for those who are ill or exercising, in fact most people are walking around dehydrated right now.

How do I know if I'm dehydrated?
Are you fatigued?  Moody?  Feel "drained" or thirsty?  If you feel thirsty, you are dehydrated.  It has been stated that if you are in the mood to snack, try a glass of water first as thirst often mimics food cravings.  Wait 20 minutes and see if you are still hungry, then eat. 

How important is hydration?
The answer is very.  As little as a 1% loss of hydration can mean increased core temperature while you exercise.  Losing from 3-5 % of your water can put a strain on your cardiovascular system, further impairing your bodies ability to dissipate heat.  With a 7% loss of water from the body, the likely result is collapse.  Remember that 45-75% of your bodies weight is from water, your muscles are 75% water.

How do I stay hydrated?
Firstly, understand that hydration refers to drinking the required amount of water every day to replace what is lost.  So, how do you know how much water you need to drink to replenish what you have lost in a day?  

The "average" person, in a normally humid environment without physical exertion will loose approximately 2 cups from perspiration, another 2 cups from breathing and 6 cups through the function of the kidneys and G.I. tract.  That's 10 cups a day.  And that's for a "normal" person.  If you weigh more, work in hot, dry environments and do physically demanding tasks you will need more water.  

Your body does have the ability to utilize water that we ingest as part of our food, a couple cups worth a day in fact.  The amount suggested for daily intake of water is 6 to 8 cups a day.  Not average?  Take your weight and divide by 2, that gives you the amount of water in ounces you should be drinking daily (keep in mind that there are 8 ounces of water in a cup).  

Now, that is 6 to 8 cups of WATER.  Not juice, energy drinks, coffee or pop.  And any caffeinated beverage has a diuretic effect, carbonated drinks also have a diuretic effect.  This means they assist the body in evacuating water, so caffeinated and carbonated beverages will add to the amount of water you must drink.  You can't trick your body into thinking that electrolyte or sports drinks are water, either.  You still need water.  While it's alright to drink other beverages, know that it takes time for your body to utilize them while your body can rapidly make use of water.  

How and when to drink water
Knowing when to drink and how much to drink is important, too.  Don't guzzle water.  Your body can best utilize water that is sipped in small amounts continuously during the day.  This is why refillable water bottles that you can keep with you are so important.  The refillable ones because it's important for our planet, and because bottled water costs more per gallon than a gallon of gas does.  Water taken in too large of a dose triggers your body to release diuretics, so it can expel extra water, not absorb it, and this can lead to further dehydration.  Hypernatremia is the condition of drinking an extremely large amount of water in a short amount of time and can be deadly. The amounts of water needed to induce hypernatremia is beyond what most people can tolerate, but large spikes of water in the body are still undesirable. 

Don't drink lots of water with your meals.  This dilutes your stomach acid and can lead to indigestion.  It is best to drink your water 15 minutes before or 30 to 60 minutes after a meal.  Milk, because it contains casein which is a slow digesting protein, will form a semi-solid in the stomach, so it is a good liquid to drink with meals.  Red wine can be good too, because it assists in breaking down fats. 


Thanks to TrulyHuge.com for the great information. To read their full article click here.