Do we drink enough water?
How many glasses of water do you drink a day? When I’ve been asked that question the first thing I try to respond with is, “Does coffee count as water?” I have many friends that would try to factor in Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately, coffee and cokes do not count as proper hydration. In fact, coffee contributes to dehydration and for every cup of coffee one should have a glass of water. So what’s the secret? How much water should we drink a day? I was told years ago to drink eight, eight ounce glasses a day but this isn’t accurate for everyone. Today, I try to drink three to four bottles of water every day plus my many cups of coffee. Exactly what are the benefits of keeping hydrated? If we knew how important water was for our bodies we would probably drink it more often.
Our bodies need food, air, and water to survive. I couldn’t believe it when I learned the brain and heart are composed of 73 percent water, lungs are about 83 percent water, the skin, muscles and kidneys are 79 percent water and even bones contain up to 31 percent.
So, how much should we aim to drink on a daily basis so we can properly supply our bodies? The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends drinking 2.7 liters (or about 11 cups) for adult women a day, and 3.7 liters (or 15 cups) for men.
When I first read this I was embarrassed because I don’t think I have ever consumed 11 cups of water in one day. However, this amount includes the fluid we take in with our food as well. Yes, we get a portion of our fluids from eating vegetables rich in water. Such vegetables include delicious home-grown tomatoes that I’ve enjoyed all summer, celery, lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, and spinach and let’s not forget collard or turnip greens. Also, our coffee, tea and soda intakes count too. Thank goodness.
I realized the other day that one thing I don’t see much of now are drinking fountains. Free water isn’t as accessible as it used to be back in the day. In high school I played basketball and was on the track team. I graduated in 1981 so my high school gym didn’t have the nice heating and cooling units we have today, only huge fans blowing room temperature air. During practice the team would line up and drink water out of the water fountain to hydrate. Today we have an array of different kinds of water to drink and it comes prepared for purchase in pre-packaged bottles. Growing up, I would have never thought that buying bottled water was a household essential; we got most of our water from the sink or water hose. Nowadays, bottled water costs the same amount as bottled sodas in the grocery store.
There are many benefits to keeping our bodies hydrated. It helps our body function better in more ways than one. Being hydrated also helps keep a healthy heart, and with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death worldwide it is very beneficial to take in more fluids. Water also helps us maintain a healthy weight, keeps our minds sharp, our joints cushioned, our skin healthy, and boosts our immune system.