Water accounts for more than 55% of your weight and is essential for virtually every body function. It helps digestion, nerves, muscles, body temperature and organ function, amongst many others in the body. Further, your brain tissue is 70-80% water. If you’re dehydrated, your body and mind are stressed.
The Mayo Clinic offers the following for signs of dehydration in an adult:
- Extreme thirst
- Less frequent urination
- Dark-colored urine
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Confusion
How much water should I drink a day? The Institute of Medicine recommends:
- Men: 13 cups (104 oz. or 3 liters)
- Women: 9 cups (72 oz. or 2.2 liters)
Many other sources say: Drink ½ your body weight in water. If you weigh 150 lbs., drink 75 oz. of water.
To filter or not filter?
Many sources point to the toxic load of ordinary tap water. To reduce the overall toxic load to your body and its filtration systems, it may be best to invest in a filtering system.
Some examples:
- Brita Filter
- Pur Filter
- AquaTru Filter
Small Shifts/First Steps:
- Increase your water intake by at least one glass per day.
- Drink one glass of water when you get out of bed in the morning.
- Drink one glass of water with each meal.
- Invest in a filtering pitcher.
Practical Resources on Hydration:
One Simple Change with Hydration
- What if you stopped drinking water?
- The Water Cure article
- Five Benefits of Drinking Water – Your Body’s Many Cries for Water
- Mayo Clinic Symptoms and Causes of Dehydration
- My Favorite Water Filter (Dr. Mark Hyman, medical director at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine