Water + Hydration

Water is an essential element of life and health. In fact, the human body is composed of mostly water.

Water typically accounts for 55% to 75% of a person’s body weight. This percentage varies from person to person depending on the person’s age, sex, fitness and other factors. According to this Medical News Today article, infants generally tend to have a higher percentage of water content (around 75%) and the percentage tends to get lower as you get older (around 55%).

Hydration is a big part of feeling good and healthy.

Inside of the body, water plays a vital role. Your cells and organs use water to operate properly. The body also needs water to perform a plethora of its essential functions, including flushing body waste, delivering oxygen throughout the body, lubricating the joints, regulating body temperature, producing hormones and even cushioning the brain and spinal cord.

On the flip side, dehydration is something to avoid. Its effects can vary, but include mental confusion, dizziness, fatigue, extreme thirst and less frequent urination. Dehydration can also cause painful things like kidney stones and headaches.

Drinking water is important for your big, beautiful brain. When a dehydration headache occurs, a brain can actually temporarily shrink from fluid loss, which causes the brain to pull away from the skull itself. When the body rehydrates, the brain will plump up and return to its normal state, which relieves the headache.

To check your hydration, your urine is among the best indicators: clear urine means you’re hydrated and darker urine means you’re dehydrated.

If you’re concerned about dehydration, avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol. This Medical News Today article talks about how caffeinated drinks and alcohol can cause you to urinate more liquid than you’re ingesting. Basically, for the amount of fluid you’re consuming when you drink, for example, a vodka drink, your body will produce more urine, which can potentially cause dehydration.

Many people have heard the maxim that everyone should drink 8 glasses of water each day. This is actually a disputed fact. You may not need to drink the proverbial “8 glasses a day” to keep your body feeling good.

In this Scientific American article, Barbara Rolls, a professor of nutrition sciences at Pennsylvania State University, states, “Water requirements depend so much on outside temperature, activity levels and other factors that there isn't one rule that fits everybody.” She recommends you "have a beverage with meals and drink when you are thirsty.”

Drink water, and also know that consuming foods with high water content, like fruits and vegetables, makes a positive impact on your overall hydration.

We hope this encourages you to keep hydrated, feeling good and being healthy. To you, we raise a big glass of water and say cheers.