<p>Quality H20 – Water and Your Health Wednesday, November 30, 2005</p><p>How much water have you had today? You had two cups of coffee this morning, a can of diet </p><p>Coke with lunch, a third cup of coffee this afternoon, and…wait…did you even drink water today? The average human body is made up of about 65% water, so it’s no wonder that drinking water every day is extremely important to your health... </p><p>It's no surprise that water is critically important to the health and well-being of everyone. After all, the human body is made up of approximately 65% water. Your brain is 95% water, your blood 82% water and your lungs 90% quality H20. In addition, the body uses water to lubricate your joints, regulate body temperature, and moisten the lungs to allow you to breathe.</p><p>The body typically loses 2-3 quarts of water per day through routine processes like breathing, urinating and perspiration. If you are very physically active or live in a warm climate, you lose even more water every day. Amazingly, the loss of just 2% of your body's water volume can lead to such symptoms as short-term memory loss, lack of concentration, difficulty with tasks such as mathematical calculations, and even daytime fatigue. Ever wonder why you’re always tired by 2 p.m.? Because most people do not drink enough water, it is estimated that upwards of 75% of people are chronically dehydrated. How Much Water? So the question you may be asking is: "How much water should I drink every day?" We’re glad you asked. You need about eight fluid ounces of water for every twenty pounds of body weight you have. For example, a 140 pound woman would need to drink approximately seven glasses of water, and a 180 pound man would need to drink nine. Of course, this is a very general rule and if you do live in a warm climate or are physically active, you need to drink even more water. </p><p>Page 1 of 5</p><p>Still not sure how much water you really need? It’s time to listen to your body and follow the WUT principle: </p><p>Weight: Step on the scale before you go to bed and then weigh yourself again in the morning. If you’ve lost weight overnight, we’re sorry to inform you that it’s not fat you’ve lost, but rather water weight. If you weight 140 before bed and weigh 139 when you wake up, you’ve lost 16 ounces of water and need to replace it by drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water.</p><p>Urine: What color is your urine? You may not be in the habit of taking a peek at your pee, but it’s time you started. Dark yellow urine indicates dehydration, while clear yellow urine means you’re well-hydrated.</p><p>Thirst: Unfortunately, if you’re thirsty, it’s too late. The thirst signal is actually triggered once the body is already mildly dehydrated. If you notice that you feel thirsty a lot, you’re definitely not drinking enough water on a regular basis.</p><p>So ask yourself, “WUT have I had to drink today?” The easiest way to get yourself to drink more water is simply to have it nearby. You can also make a point to keep a water bottle on your nightstand, drink a glass of water with every meal, keep water handy at your desk and in your car, and to drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage or caffeinated beverage that you consume. Just having water nearby will help you to drink more, so just make sure you have it accessible.</p><p>Page 2 of 5 Over-Hydration Is it possible to drink too much water? Actually, yes. Having too much water in your body is called hyponatremia, which actually means that the concentration of sodium in your body is too low. It’s actually not that your sodium levels are too low, it’s just that by drinking too much water you’ve actually diluted your sodium concentration, which can have ill effects. Over-hydrating is pretty uncommon, but has been seen in marathon runners who drink excessive amounts of water on race day. It is important to remember that if you are exercising for more than 90 minutes you should be consuming a sports drink that provides electrolytes, like sodium, as well as carbohydrates to replace lost glycogen. </p><p>All in all, the most important thing you should take away from this lesson is that drinking water is a very important part of your every day routine, and if it isn’t yet part of your routine, it should be. </p><p>Staying Hydrated</p><p>Today there are many choices available for quenching thirst and staying hydrated, from sports drinks to specialty mineral waters from around the world. However, many people overlook the important benefits of hydration in their fitness regimen. As springtime gives way to summer heat, it's a good time to learn about adequate fluid replacement, body hydration and how staying hydrated can boost your workouts to the next level...</p><p>Achieving optimal health means including plenty of nutrients and water in your daily regimen. Choose your fluids wisely for optimal body hydration, since your total body weight is about two-thirds water and it is vital for all chemical reactions in the body. The basic rules of survival are that many people can survive for weeks without food, but they can only live a few days without fluids. </p><p>Page 3 of 5</p><p>When exercising, adequate body hydration is a primary concern and dehydration a serious matter. Dehydration of as little as two percent of body weight can begin to impair temperature regulation and athletic performance. The American College of Sports Medicine believes that the benefits of hydration include health, safety and optimal physical performance of anyone participating in regular physical activity.</p><p>Consuming fluid during exercise is necessary to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of heat-related illness. Most sports drinks that are commercially available are a combination of water, electrolytes such as sodium and potassium and carbohydrates. The benefits of these ingredients for vigorous exercise are that the electrolytes replace those lost in sweat from exercise and carbohydrates improve performance by maintaining blood glucose levels and carbohydrate metabolism. Interestingly, a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that the carbohydrate absorption rates of sports drinks may be enhanced when ingested with caffeine. </p><p>Risks and Benefits of Hydration When it comes to diet and exercise, Americans can tend to overdo things. However, fitness buffs should remember that there can be too much of a good thing. During endurance sports such as marathons, triathlons and lengthy hikes, most athletes will know of someone who drank excessive amounts of water during prolonged endurance exercise and developed dangerously low blood sodium levels, a condition known as hyponatremia. The more rapid the decline in sodium, the greater the risk for life threatening consequences. The symptoms of this condition include an altered mental status, such as confusion and disorientation, respiratory distress, seizures, unresponsiveness, coma, and ultimately death. As a general rule, when exercising more than four hours in hot, humid climates, an athlete who drinks excessive amounts of water is at risk of developing hyponatremia. </p><p>Page 4 of 5 Even for those consumers who do not engage in heavy physical exertion, questions about the benefits of hydration abound: whether bottled waters are better than tap, whether sports beverages should be used and whether the vitamins added to bottled waters are needed. Experts suggest that the best way to monitor fluid intake is urine color and volume. A rule of thumb is to drink enough so that the urine is clear or pale yellow. However, this can vary depending on use of supplements and medications. </p><p>Page 5 of 5</p>