Yoni Whitten, D.C., C.C.W.P
How much clean water did you drink today? If you’re like most Americans, the answer is not nearly enough. Water is absolutely essential for our survival and yet, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Nowadays it seems we are drinking everything except water: coffee, tea, juice, energy drinks, soda and alcohol. Recently, we have been inundated with vitamin-enhanced, flavored water that is full of toxins and useless in terms of hydrating the body.
Three-quarters of our entire body is water, 85% of our brain is water and 90% of our blood is water. Water transports nutrients throughout the body and removes wastes. It lubricates the eyes, nose, mouth and intestines. Water is also essential for regulating body temperature. One of the simplest and surest signs that you may not be consuming enough water is a dry mouth or dry eyes.
Dehydration negatively impacts both mental and physical performance. In fact, a lack of water is the number one trigger for daytime fatigue. A mere 2% drop in body water increases perceived effort enough to reduce peak physical performance by 10–20%, it can trigger fuzzy short-term memory and difficulty focusing on computer screens and print. A 4% drop in body water impairs concentration, judgment, decision making and reaction time.
For those of us who are trying to reduce body fat and improve body composition dehydration can severely hamstring our efforts. Even mild dehydration will slow one’s metabolism by as much as 3%. On top of that, many Americans (37%) were found to have thirst mechanisms that are so weak that the sensation is often mistaken for hunger (meaning we end up eating when we really should be drinking). The January 2009 Issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had the right idea when they said: “If you're looking for an easy way to lose weight, just stop drinking soda and other sweetened beverages."
The bigger picture for our long-term wellness is drinking as little as 5 glasses of water per day cuts the risk for bladder cancer in half, decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45% and can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 79%.
Water has been a source of life on this planet for over 4.5 billion years. Our genes evolved to expect a certain amount of clean water every day. One of the easiest and most important steps we can take towards health is satisfying our daily water requirement.
Action Step:
Calculate your overall daily need (in ounces) by dividing your weight (in pounds) by 2
(Be sure to drink at least that much water every day)
Remember:
References:
1.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol.89, No.1: January. 2009.
2. Batmanghelidj, F. Your Body’s Many Cries for Water. Global Health Solutions, 1995.
3. McKeag, D., J.L. Moeller American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Primary Care Sports Medicine, 2nd Ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.