liquid, so it is critical that you consume adequate amounts. Sip water throughout the day to stay properly hydrated.
Quantities
There are various recommendations as to the amount of water a person should drink every day. Certain guidelines say you should drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses. More individualized instructions suggest drinking 0.5 ounces of water per pound of your body weight each day. According to this recommendation, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 70 ounces of water per day.
Considerations
You need to drink more water when you experience certain conditions. For example, if you live in or travel to a high-altitude location, drink more water. When you are exercising and sweating a great deal or when you face hot
temperatures during the summer, increase your water intake. Acute or chronic health conditions you experience, including fever, vomiting or diarrhea, can also increase your water needs. When you are in an indoor heated environment during the winter, you should drink more water than usual. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should drink more water than the typical recommended amounts every day.
Other Sources
Although various beverages and foods such as soups and juices contain some water, it is best to obtain your daily water requirements from drinking water. Drinks like coffee and alcoholic beverages are diuretics, which cause your body to lose water, so avoid them as much as possible.
Benefits
Water serves many critical functions in every system of your body, and you experience numerous benefits when you stay properly hydrated. Water helps all of your organs and cells to work properly and moves nutrients to your body’s cells. It also escorts toxins away from your organs. It is a lubricant that provides the foundation for the various fluids in your body to develop, such as your saliva and the fluids around your joints. It keeps your ears, nose and throat moist. Water is needed for perspiration, which keeps your body temperature in balance, and it moves food you eat through your intestines, alleviating constipation and other digestive problems.
Risks
If you do not drink enough water, you could become dehydrated. If this situation becomes severe enough, it can threaten your life. All of the bodily functions water aids, such as saliva and fluid production, suffer when you do
not drink enough water to stay properly hydrated. Your risk of becoming constipated increases when you do not drink enough water. Becoming just mildly dehydrated can cause you to feel less energetic, so be sure to drink your daily quotient.