Water is one of the basic building blocks of life. We can’t live without it and yet, many of us do to some extent. Not getting enough water is a problem for the body. So, are you drinking enough every day?

What is water?

Water is a component of just about every cell in the body. Over half of your body is water. Cells depend on it to move nutrients in and out of the bloodstream. The blood depends on it for volume. The kidneys use it to filter out toxins from the body.

Without water, the body soon begins to shut down. You can go several weeks without food. The body will use the fat stores to compensate if necessary. Without water, things go haywire after only a few days.

When you drink water it is like giving your body an internal shower. All systems are bathed in this life-giving fluid. Your organs can operate at optimal levels when you are getting enough water for daily activities.

Benefits of water

Lack of water is called dehydration. More people are on the verge of dehydration than you think. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. When it lacks that shine and tone, it is often because there is not enough water nourishing it.

If you wait until you are thirsty to drink, you have already passed the point of thirst. Regular intake of fluids increases thirst so you want to drink more. If you’ve noticed, when you wait too long, your lips can become dry or pasty depending on the situation. You may even feel light-headed or nauseous due to lack of proper fluid intake in your system.

How much water is necessary?

So what is proper fluid intake? The party line for years was that drinking eight glasses of water a day was a good goal to shoot for. Since those guidelines first came out, the composition of people has changed. We are a larger nation and eight glasses of water is not necessarily enough for all body types and activity levels.

Eight glasses a day is a start. For men, consuming closer to twelve glasses is more accurate. As for women, eight to ten is a good start. But, you can always drink more. In fact, if you exercise a lot or have a very physical job where you are sweating, replacing that fluid loss is crucial.

To ensure that you are getting enough water, start by replacing what you have lost. Not only do you sweat but you also urinate. Replace cup for cup to meet the basic needs of the body, but drink more for optimum function. And, if you don’t like water, spruce it up with a sugar-free flavor packet or a bit of lemon juice.

How much water are you drinking? Chances are it is not enough. Drink at least eight glasses of liquids a day and go from there.