How Much Water Do You Really Need?

The average is ten cups. Men should drink a little more, women can drink a little less. The more active you are, the more you should drink. If you’re consuming alcohol or caffeine regularly, then you should drink more water to counteract the dehydrating effect those substances can have.

As the country is beginning to feel some major heat and humidity, with conditions in the Southwest even precipitating fires, more and more people are finding themselves in the hospital for heatstroke and dehydration. It’s important to be mindful of your hydration even on busy days or fun-filled trips to the beach. The sun can be dangerous, and you don’t want to ruin your summer vacation because you forgot to drink up.

GET HYDRATED

The human body is comprised mostly of water. When we’re properly hydrated, our brain and muscles are able to run smoothly and perform well. Without meeting our necessary water consumption levels, these vital organs are unable to work efficiently.

On a hot day, an ice cold Coke or Heineken sounds like a great idea, but it actually does the opposite of what your body needs. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can turn to fruit and vegetable juice to get hydrated and enjoy a sweet supply of nutrients.

The next time you’re feeling tired or snack-ish, first ask yourself if you’re thirsty. Many times dehydration appears to us as hunger, and so we gorge without ever getting to the root of the problem.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DEHYDRATED

The easiest way to tell whether you’re dehydrated is to sneak a peak when you pee. If it’s a dark yellow, you’ve got to up your water intake. It should look light, almost clear. When you’re not getting enough water, your body is unable to digest the vitamins and nutrients in your food and they escape through your urine. Water is also crucial for maintaining a healthy liver and kidneys. When you dehydrate yourself, these systems start to fail.

In the long run, dehydration causes weight gain, recurring headaches, frequent exhaustion, high blood pressure and kidney problems. It’s an easy problem to fix, and you can always turn to coconut water or other fruit and veggie juice if you need the extra flavor.