Everyone is aware how crucial water consumption is to the body, but are we drinking enough? At the very minimum, a person should be consuming about half their body weight in ounces of water per day! Our bodies are made up of approximately 65% water, so the body needs hydrated each day.

Water is necessary for the body and help in many ways:

• Increases energy & electrical conduction in the body
• Aides in the detoxification in the body
• Maintaining weight
• Helps keep skin healthy

According to the Journal of Oncology in an article published in 2004, the researchers claim that even water consumption has been linked to certain cancer prevention in addition to other lifestyle factors.

There are things we do & consume each day that lead to dehydration:

• High protein diet
• Alcohol
• Caffeine (soda & coffee)
• Physical activity/exertion

Not to mention we lose a significant amount of water each day through evaporation and perspiration via our skin. The average adult needs to have 2.4 liters of fluid replaced each day!

There are two main signs or side effects of dehydration:

• Cotton Mouth
• Skin not snapping back when pinched
• Lightheadedness
• Decline in mental function

The only exceptions or precautions to the recommendations are for those with kidney failure and congestive heart failure.

There are two age groups that are more vulnerable to dehydration: elderly and small children (toddlers). The elderly lose their thirst mechanism and desire to drink. Small children have a larger body surface compared to their actual body weight, so they often are not drinking enough.

Overall, drinking water throughout the day, everyday, can help your body on so many different levels. The truth is that people are consuming sodas, sports drinks, and other fluids that are not the same as drinking water, and they will not have the same positive results on your body that water can have.

Reference: Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 22, No 2 (January 15), 2004: pp. 383-385. American Society for Clinical Oncology.