Drinking enough water and staying hydrated at all times, is the basis of maintaining healthy rhythms and flow within the body. In this article, I will explain why we need to drink water regularly throughout the day, signs of when you may be dehydrated, and tips on making sure you always have enough clean water.

Our bodies are composed of somewhere close to 70% water, and just being dehydrated SLIGHTLY has been shown to decrease performance, both physically and cognitively across the board.  From personal experience, I know that even if I am slightly dehydrated my motor skills begin to decrease and haziness can begin to overcome me.

A good estimate of how much water to drink is half your bodyweight in oz. per day. So for myself, being about 200lbs, I would drink about 100oz. of water per day.  I have found this estimate to be pretty accurate, however on days that I exercise heavily, it is hot out, or I am sweating a lot, my needs for water could become much higher.  Learn to listen to your body and make sure you get AT LEAST half your bodyweight in oz. of water per day.

Staying properly hydrated can limit food cravings.  I have noticed that many people seem to mistake the need for water and hydration as a signal to eat food to get a full feeling that only water can truly provide.  If you are trying to lose weight and find that you get food cravings too often, try drinking some water instead, it is a zero calorie solution!

Proper hydration greatly helps with digestion. Whenever I have a large meal, I like to wait about 30-40 minutes and begin drinking plenty of water as needed.  Our bodies have an even greater requirement for water after a large meal and eating.   Imagine that all of our internal organs need to be a well hydrated and oiled machine, and then imagine drying them out and trying to digest a big meal, which could not possibly be ideal.

Drinking enough water before physical activity will greatly improve performance. Before I am going to do an intense bout of exercise, or when I know I will be sweating almost instantly, I make sure to chug a bit extra water to ensure proper hydration throughout my workout.  Always make sure to have enough water with you during your workouts so that you can drink water as needed.

Your cognitive function will improve greatly.  Our brains are almost entirely made up of water, if you want to think more clearly, do well on an exam, or socialize more effectively, water is a MUST.  If you have trouble concentrating or focusing for long periods of time it may very well be a hydration issue.

Soft drinks, sweetened teas and lemonade, and processed fruit juices, are way to sugary to be considered in the same realm as plain water, cut them from your diet completely because they could be contributing to your weight problems by spiking the blood sugar and causing low energy levels, replace all sugary drinks with WATER, which once again, is zero calories!

Drink organic teas, coffee, and seltzer water when you need a change. These drinks can be hydrating and should be used INSTEAD of drinking soft drinks; it also spices things up from just drinking plain water all the time.

Try drinking lemon/lime water or adding Apple Cider Vinegar to your water. Lemon water and ACV both have detoxifying effects on the body and if they are drunk in between meals or in a fasted state, they can be great at helping the body to get rid of stored toxins and waste, which will result in higher energy levels and a great addition to just plain water.

Make sure to drink a high quality mineral water or add a pinch of sea salt to your water if you think it has a low-mineral content. There should naturally be a healthy amount of electrolytes and minerals in our water, this allows it to really bind to our body and be utilized on a micro nutrient level more effectively, water that is devoid of all minerals can actually pass through us very easily and may actually have a dehydrating effect if drunk too heavily.  A good mineral content to aim for in drinking water is 300ppm (parts per million).  Some good waters are most Artesian water, Fiji, Evian, Pellegrino, Voss, etc.

When you exercise, you should always be sweating. If you exercise and tend not to sweat much, or at all, than you are probably dehydrated and need to drink more water.  When exercising there should at least be a good amount of moisture in the armpits, hips, feet, etc.  Use sweat as a gauge to see if you are properly hydrated.

Carry around a big jug of water with you throughout the day.  Instead of buying a million little bottles carry around a giant jug of water and take gulps and drink it throughout the day as needed.  Many times we will forget to stay properly hydrated simply because we do not have enough water accessible instantly.  So if you are going to be working at your desk or out shopping for a long time, make sure you have enough water instantly accessible.  It is less stressful to the body to just have water exactly when the body craves it, instead of waiting too long.

Make sure that you are peeing regularly. A good sign of hydration is pee that is clear, does not smell too much/at all, and that you are peeing every 1-2 hours.  Peeing regularly is a good sign that you are hydrated properly, if your urine is foul or dark than you are definitely not hydrated enough.

Water is the best way to detox the body and limit the damage caused from alcohol or an unhealthy meal. If you ended up binging or eating food that was processed, water is the best method for detoxifying and flushing the body out.  Water will dilute the body and allow you to minimize the impact caused by these toxins and the stress of overeating by flushing it out.

Water promotes regularity and healthy bowel movements. Drinking enough water ensures that the colon is properly hydrated and eliminates waste effectively.  Maintaining regularity will help to avoid carrying around waste matter.

After oxygen, water is the most important resource that we need as human beings. We can fast and go without food for weeks on end, but can only survive a few days without water.  Drinking good quality water is ideal for good health.  A high quality mineral water will do, or a well-filtered water with a pinch of sea salt added.

Always remember to carry enough water around with you at all times, even if this means carrying a giant jug around with you to work. Drink extra water before exercising or strenuous activity of any kind, getting caught even slightly dehydrated for something important can have devastating effects and is simply not worth it.

Maintaining an awesome flow and regularity throughout your day is one of the benefits of drinking enough water. Always stay well hydrated and cultivate a relationship with your body and your unique hydration requirements, as I have observed mine to change on a daily basis.

Here is to clean and healthy water consumption!