Humans can go without food for multiple weeks, but even one day without water can negatively impact health. Water helps nourish cells and tissues by transporting nutrients throughout the body; so just imagine how dehydration negatively affects the essential functions of the body. Additionally, water helps eliminate toxins. What’s more, water comprises 2/3 of the human body and about 3/4 of the brain. As the body fails to replace lost liquid, the blood becomes thicker and the heart muscle must work harder to pump the blood through the circulatory system. A poorly hydrated body redistributes water to insure that the most important organs are nourished. The order of water priority is the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and glands, followed by the muscles, bones and skin. So besides thirst, what are other signs of dehydration? Constipation, headaches, achy joints, allergy symptoms/asthma, reflux, brain fog/fatigue, and the list goes on.

You say you sometimes feel fuzzy headed? Brain cells require a fine balance of water and nutrients among other elements to function optimally. A loss of water disrupts this balance leading to lower brain function which impacts memory, concentration, visual functions and hand-eye coordination.

You say you don’t feel thirsty? You still may be chronically dehydrated. Many times we mistakenly interpret our need for fluid with that for food. So, we eat food rather than drink water. This can result in unnecessary weight gain, especially for a sedentary person. To know if you need water or food, especially if you recently finished a meal, drink a couple glasses of water and notice if your hunger pangs subside.

You wonder whether you really need to drink eight glasses of water each day? A basic rule of thumb is to consume about half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink roughly 75 ounces of water daily. However, the reality is that the optimal intake of water varies significantly from one individual to the next depending on age, sex, body type, weather, level of health and activity. Most people believe their daily fluid intake is adequate to remain hydrated. But how can you tell if you’re consuming enough fluids through water and food? Drink enough water to keep the color of your urine light yellow. The darker your urine becomes, generally the more dehydrated you are (remember that certain supplements and foods can change the color of your urine.)

Does plain water bore you? If so, add the juice from a lemon or lime or add an ounce of pure fruit juice to water and drink this throughout the day and enjoy your clearer thinking and increased energy!