There is no nutrient of greater importance than water. Water sustains our bodies and minds for nearly all of its functions. It is crucial we drink plenty of water to sustain a healthy balance in our bodies.
Up to 60% of our body is made of water. Our lungs, heart and brain 70-80% water.
Our requirements for water change from person to person due to our environment, diet, and activity level. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water used to be the old standard of how much water we should drink within one day. This advice, while good, does not take into account the previously said factors that makeup our water needs.
An already dehydrated person working outside on a 100 degree Fahrenheit day, in direct sunlight, sweating profusely will need much more water than a person sitting in a climate-controlled room at his desk writing a blog post about water.
Am i getting enough?
A new way to calculate the amount of water a person needs is this: your weight in pounds divided by two, equals the number of ounces of water normally necessary for you on a normal day.
For example, a man weighing 200 pounds would divide 200 by two equaling 100. 100 would be the number of ounces he would need to drink in a day. 100oz is roughly 3 liters. On days of extended bouts of activity, causing one to sweat, then more water would be necessary.
Another way to know the correct amount of water involves no math. If your urine stream is pale yellow in color, you are properly hydrated.
I mentioned diet has something to do with the amount of water we need. A diet rich in foods containing high levels of water do contribute to our overall water intake. Celery, strawberries, tomatoes, bananas, soups, and smoothies contain a higher amount of water than other foods. Normally, 80% of our hydration comes from our water or liquid intake and 20% comes from our food.
tips for better hydration
My advice is drink a glass of water right away when you wake up. I find the mornings are a great time to start the day off right. Our body has been resting and not drinking all night long. Getting a drink of water right away in the morning lets your body hydrate and wake up. Continue through your morning routine taking sips of water here and there when you have time.
Breakfast is a great opportunity for hydration. Fruit smoothies or a bowl of healthy cereal with soy milk contribute to your hydration. After preparing for the day but before you leave the house drink another glass of water.
Whether you work in or out of the house, I recommend using a water bottle to keep water with you throughout your day. Commonly sold water bottles also have measurements on the side. These can help let you know how much water you’ve had and how much water is remaining for you to drink.
If measurements don’t appeal to you, take a marker and write on the bottle timestamps. 10am, 12pm, 2pm, etc. That way you can easily tell how much water you should have consumed by that time of the day. These water bottles are great for going to the gym or your long commute to work as well.
When work is over and you’re back at home or on your after-work routine make sure to drink water when you have the time. At this point, if you have used the tips provided previously mentioned most of your hydration in the day should be nearly completed. I advise everyone to stop drinking water or other liquid a few hours before bed as to avoid needing to get up several times in the night. A great night’s sleep is key to the next day’s hydration success.
There is water we require that is even more important than the water we drink.
The Living Water, the word of God sustains and fulfills our lives. As the woman at the well learned, drinking from the well of life will have their thirst quenched forever. “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14
