We have all probably heard the advice that we should drink eight glasses of water per day, but is that true? Water is of course required by humans to live and it provides many benefits some of which we don’t normally notice in the course of a day. We also lose water through many processes that one might not realize. We of course lose water through urination and sweat but also with every breath you take. The amount of water actually differs from person to person and that depends not only on the size of the person, but also on the amount of exercise being done throughout the day by the person in question.
Understanding Your Body’s Water Needs
Water does a lot to lubricate our muscles and joints as well as regulate our temperature and has even been shown to improve our moods should we be properly hydrated. While eight cups of water per day is a good general goal to work towards and a goal that most people don’t manage to meet, most experts agree that eight cups per day isn’t actually enough.
Recommended Water Intake
As it differs from person to person there really is only a generalized statement on how much water a person should drink. For an adult woman it is recommended that she drink eleven and a half cups of water. For an adult man it is even more. The recommendation for an adult man is fifteen and a half cups of water. While this might seem like a lot this recommendation is for areas of more average or temperate environments. If you live in a hotter environment the recommendation would be even higher. Experts do say that people are able to operate alright without reaching these goals, but say that this would be a healthier way to live.
Beyond Drinking Water
Of course drinking water alone isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. One can get more water in their system through eating certain fruits and vegetables or even drinking juices or sodas, but the truth remains that water is the most effective and best way to stay hydrated.
With it being said that these water intakes are the average recommended, the truth is that one should try their best to be hydrated for their own water needs. The best way to tell if you are doing a good job of staying hydrated is to examine a few things about your daily life. Whether or not you regularly feel thirsty is probably the most reliable test of this.
Clean Water Matters
Of course the majority of these benefits of drinking good amounts of water can only be achieved should a person be consuming clean water. Fixing one problem only to develop others is hardly a way to live a good life. The best and most reliable way of confirming that you are drinking clean water is to have a water test performed on your drinking water and purchasing a filter or water conditioning system if necessary.
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