Adequate hydration is vital because your body is 60% water. A person's water intake need varies by age, activity level such as exercise, weight, medical condition, and environment (hot or cold weather). Make sure you remain hydrated after you exercise, sweat excessively, if you have fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. According to the Institute of Medicines' Food and Nutrition Boards' recommendation, women ought to drink about 11 cups of water daily, and men about 15 cups. However, it is still advisable to drink at least 8 cups of water daily. So drink up! Not drinking enough water to meet your bodies' requirement can lead to dehydration.
Reasons for drinking water
The main reasons you need to drink more water is because it helps your body:
• Maintain a normal body temperature
• Get rid of the body's wastes products through sweat, urine, and bowel movements.
• Lubricate and cushion joints
• Digest food by assisting in the breaking down of food, and also in the transportation, and absorption of nutrients.
Sources of water
The good news is that your don't have to drink only water in other to meet your total daily fluid requirement. The soup, tea, milk, juice, other liquids and all the fruits and vegetables you consume daily all count towards your total daily fluid intake. However, bear in mind that other fluid sources such as juice, ice tea, and soda can be high in calories and sugar. That is why water is the best source for hydration. You can drink your water plain or add some fruits to it to make your own flavored water. I do not recommend the use of commercial water enhancer. Making your own flavored water is very easy and healthy for you too.
Here is my favorite flavored water recipe.
Flavored water recipe
You can turn a plain glass of water into a delightful drink of flavored water in a second; it's so unbelievably easy.
• First of all, cut the lemon in half. Cut a few slices of fresh lemon from one half and add it into a big glass or jug of water, and then squeeze in the juice of the other half.
• Cut an orange in half also and squeeze in the juice.
•Squeeze a handful of fresh mint then add it to the glass or jug of water
• Gently mash up a handful of strawberries then add it to the glass or jug of water and stir.
• Add a few slices of cucumber for some extra vitamins, color, and extra flavor.
• Finally add some ice. You can always add some water to adjust to taste if you like.
• Voila you've just made your own flavored water. Pour your self a glass and enjoy your refreshing, re-hydrating, and delicious home made flavored water.
Drinking your vegetables
Do you know that fruits and vegetables such as, cucumber, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, and cantaloupe all contain more than 90% water? Including fruits and vegetables to your daily meal is a guaranteed way of increasing your fluid intake. Juicing vegetables have a lot of health benefits. It is also a great source of fluid intake, so if you are not juicing your vegetables yet, get on board.