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WHY IS HYDRATION SO CRITICAL?

Humans can survive for weeks without food but a mere few days without water.  

“Water is an essential nutrient, vital to many life-sustaining body processes including temperature regulation, delivering nutrients to cells, removing waste, lubricating joints, digestion, and maintaining blood pressure.”

SO HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

Your grandma’s advice to drink 8 glasses of water a day is generic and outdated. 

Variables

Part of the problem lies in the sheer number of variables that affect water needs: age, activity level, diet, humidity, and temperature.  Without clear guidelines, should we just listen to our bodies?  Unfortunately, no.  Thirst is a symptom of dehydration.  If you wait until you are thirsty to drink, you will be playing catch up and may already be experiencing side effects of mild dehydration like fatigue, changes to mood and concentration, or headaches. 

A Good General Rule Of Thumb

Drink the number of fluid ounces equal to half your body weight (in pounds) daily. For example, a 150 lb. person should drink 75 ounces/day.  But that number is just a starting point.  Factors that increase your fluid needs include increased activity, higher temperatures, low humidity, alcohol intake, high protein diet, high salt diet, high fiber diet, low-calorie diet, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, pregnancy, nursing, and older age.

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