Can you tell if you are dehydrated or well hydrated?
If you take in a great quantity of water and your body keeps most of it, that's a sign your body has been deprived of water. But if soon after drinking most of it, it is excreted as urine then your body is telling you it was well hydrated. If you check your urine colour and you are not on Vitamin B Complex supplements, the colour should be clear - close to water. Deeper colour is an indication of poor water intake.
For some people it’s hard to get good pure water. What can you do?
Boiling your water will kill the germs. Filtering can help make your water safe for drinking and protect you from water-borne diseases. I grew up drinking water in what was called “Amu." It’s a big clay pot my mother kept in the corner of the corridor. We filled it with water from the government-supplied tap water. It was always cool. It never gave us any problems. But today we don’t have good supply of such water. Most people now dig their wells or boreholes for water supply. So, boiling and having a good filter will help. Also, purifying with activated charcoal is excellent.
Is there any specific amount needed for every body?
Water being the most healthful drink is absolutely needed by everybody but some may need more than others when we consider climate, health conditions, weight, and age. The general rule is to drink between ½ an ounce to an ounce for each pound you weigh. Get your weight in pounds, divide by two and the result is how much you specifically need in ounces. So let's say Mr A weighs 150Ibs, divide this by two = 75. So, Mr A should be drinking 75 ounces (2.3 liters) to 150 ounces (4.6 liters) of water a day. You can only live a few days without drinking water, though most people just get enough to barely sustain life and do not get enough for optimum functioning. Do not just drink enough to survive. Drink enough to thrive. Otherwise you will be continuously putting unnecessary stress on your body’s cleansing system and other functions.
Also authorities all around developed countries and the WHO recommend about 2 to 3 liters of water a day for women and two and a half to four liters a day for men. (Assuming moderate physical activity and moderate ambient temperature). 1 liter is about 4.2 cups. In warm weather you need more. (A cup is 250ml [25cl] )
Some may have problems drinking water first thing in the morning. Perhaps you consider it unpalatable to wake up and drink water first.
It may not be palatable at first as all new habits are, but remember starting a new routine would require you considering the benefits to be gained and ensuring the right thing is done till it becomes a routine habit. One great way to make sure you drink enough water is starting with two to four cups of water first thing in the morning. Do this before you get caught up with the activities of the morning. With two or four down you only need about 6 or 8 more to drink. If you wait until you are thirsty you probably won’t get enough and you are already getting dehydrated by then.
Consider that wonderful evidence was shown in the Adventist health study, where 20,000 men and women were studied; those who drank five or more glasses of water a day had about half the risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who drank two glasses or less a day. About half of those studied were also vegetarians who are also getting extra water by eating fruits and vegetables. The protection from water remained even after controlling for other effects. Water was the cause of lowering blood “viscosity”- moving blood flow better.
Wouldn't you like to experience same or even more?
The main challenge is reaching out and grabbing that glass or cup of water and placing it in your mouth. Take the challenge; start making eight to ten glasses of water a daily routine. Be good to yourself; start enjoying nature’s super fluid today. You may choose to get a water bottle or flask for water. Measure the amount needed for the day and how many times you need to refill depending on the capacity of your water bottle. On a daily basis with 5 you stay alive, 8 makes you feel great and with 10 glasses you really rejuvenate!
