How Much Water Should You Drink?

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Water is the life-giving liquid that comprises 60 percent of our body weight, but the million-dollar question is, “how much water should I drink?”

This is, in fact, the age-old question that has different but no definite answers. What we previously believed as the ‘ideal’ amount of drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is no longer an absolute or specific value.

There are a lot of factors at play when we determine the amount of water that we need to consume in a day. For example, an athlete in motion needs more water for rehydration compared to an office worker who has the same body weight but needs less.

Over the years, studies have shown varying results that measure the body’s need for water, but in truth, the body’s need for water may depend on a number of factors, but definitely includes our state of health and lifestyle.

Here is something that you may not be aware of – every system in the human body depends on the unique and incomparable properties of water – that is how important water is to the body and here are some vital reasons why;

• Water is responsible for carrying nutrients to our human cells.
• Water flushes out harmful toxins from our vital organs and out of our bodies.
• Water provides lubrication for throat, ear and nose tissues.
• Water helps our bodies cool off through perspiration during hot weather.
• Water helps neutralize acid and alkaline levels in the body and balances it.
• Water helps control calories.
• Water helps in energizing the muscles.
• Water moisturizes the skin from the inside and keeps it looking good.
• Water helps maintain regular and normal bowel function to excrete waste from the body.

Although water is mostly accessible and readily available to everyone, the need to increase water intake is important to maintaining good health.

Here are some tips to let you enjoy drinking more water, wherever you may be;

Make sure to include water as a beverage with every meal or snack. Other than an effective weight loss strategy, drinking water aids in breaking down food to hasten metabolism in the body.

Choose flavoured water that you enjoy. Just make sure that it has very little or no amount of sugar or other additives in it. Avoid sodas or sweetened beverages.

Always keep a bottle of water handy at all times – be it inside your gym bag, at your office desk, inside your car, etc. Having water handy makes it easy for you to drink and refresh yourself.

Although there might be no easy answer as to the amount of water you actually need for your body, you can still adhere to the standard 8 glasses per day and with the question asked “How much water should I drink?”  Then my best answer would be to always give in to your thirst.

Image Credit: How much water should I drink each day? – MNT 

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