Why Water is Good for You

Did you know that your body is 60-70 % water?  Water is a major component of your blood, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain water too.  It is important to drink enough water to regulate your body temperature, and to move nutrients to your organs and tissues.

Every day our bodies lose water through urination, sweating, and even breathing.  Certain medications and alcohol may cause your body to lose more water than normal.  Caffeine drinks also have the effect of increasing the amount of water your body loses during the day.

If you don't drink enough water each day, you may suffer from dehydration - symptoms include chronic pain, lower back pain, headaches, and constipation. And although thirst is the most obvious sign of dehydration, you should be drinking well before you feel thirsty.

A big question for most people is how much water should I drink?  Opinions vary, but one common rule of thumb is to divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water daily.  There fore, if you weighed 140 lbs, you should drink 70 ounces of water daily.  You will also get some water from the foods you eat, but using the formula above is the safest bet.

Water is always the best choice when you are thirsty - beware of sugary drinks, sodas with artificial sweeteners, and highly caffeinated beverages.