The phrase "you are what you eat" should be re-worded to "you are what you drink". About 55%-60% of the average human body weight is water.
Water aides in several bodily functions including:
- Helping maintain a stable body temperature. Body water also serves as the source for sweat that is produced by sweat glands. Once the sweat is on your skin, the sweat drop is exposed to air and can evaporate. This evaporation actually provides the cooling effect.
- Water is critical to the maintenance of blood volume. Adequate blood volume directly impacts blood pressure and cardiovascular function.
- Intense exercise can result in the formation of lactic acid (that sore feeling in your muscles). Water carries protein buffers that directly neutralize the lactic acid, aiding in relieving sore muscles.
- Water serves as the body's delivery and waste removal medium. It helps deliver nutrients, hormones, immune cells and oxygen just to name a few.
Now that I have convinced you to drink your water, how much should you consume?
First, I am talking about WATER! Not fruit juice, pop (diet pop either), coffee or a sports drink. You first need to focus on consuming just water. Either tap or bottled you decide, neither is superior. For the average adult, we recommend 8 (8 ounce) glasses of water, which is 2 quarts per day. I always find it is easiest to stay hydrated if I carry my bottle of water around with me all day long; when I am a little thirsty, I drink. I just continue to fill up my water bottle when it is empty. This will help maintain hydration throughout your busy day.
For those of you participating in Devin’s Dash, don’t forget to stay hydrated!
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