Why Water

We hear a lot about what we should eat to stay healthy, but there's one thing we need even more than food each day - and that's water. Although we all know the importance of drinking enough water during the hot summer months, many people don't realize they need to drink plenty of water all year round.

The human body is two-thirds water.  Water is an essential nutrient involved in every function of the body. Though every part of your body needs water to work properly, water is particularly important for keeping the kidneys healthy. Dehydration is one of the reasons why people develop kidney stones. Additionally, water helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of our cells, and is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions.  It is also needed for the maintenance of proper body temperature.

Some people say “I don't need water because I don't get thirsty.” But that's because thirst can be slow to develop - often we don't feel thirst even when our bodies need fluid.  We often confuse thirst with hunger too. Sometimes when you think your body is asking for food, what it really needs is water. This is why it's a good habit to drink water regularly - whether you feel thirsty or not.

Another common remark is “I don't need water because I drink a lot of coffee and tea.” Tea and coffee are okay in moderation, but larger amounts aren't good substitutes for water - both these drinks contain caffeine, which makes your body lose fluid.

Most of us need between 48 and 80 ounces of water each day. But if the weather is hot or you are exercising, you need more.

An old fashioned idea is that drinking water before exercise causes cramps. You need water both before and after exercise. Unless you are doing vigorous exercise for long periods, there's no need to drink special sports drinks - water is good enough.

Many people believe that drinking lots of juice replaces the need for water. Although it's okay to have a glass of fruit juice each day, it's better to drink more water. But if you really like the taste of juice, try drinking half juice and half water. Besides being more expensive, too much fruit juice can contribute to weight problems and tooth decay. This is why it's good to get children into the habit of drinking water - not just juice - right from the start. If you give a child a "comfort" bottle at night, make sure it contains nothing but plain water - giving juice, milk or any drink with added sugar at night is a common cause of tooth decay.

Women are also under the assumption that if they drink a lot of water they’ll retain fluid. Many women retain fluid before a period and think that drinking less water will help. But in fact they need to drink more. One of the causes of fluid retention is having too much sodium in the body.  Drinking water helps get rid of sodium.

There’s a variety of ways that you can use to encourage your family to drink more water. On hot days, have plenty of chilled water in the fridge - for variety, try flavoring it with True Lemon, True Lime, chopped mint, or the juice from a fresh orange or grapefruit. On cold days, drink warm water - again with True Lemon or Lime.  Ask for water in restaurants, take water on picnics and serve water at the table with meals. Try using attractive containers and glasses as well, and keep a stash of colorful straws in the house - it will encourage children to drink more.