I am a self-proclaimed Aqua-holic.  I love water, pure and simple.  I drink a lot of it.  In fact, besides my morning cup of coffee, and the (very) occasional margarita or glass of wine, water is all I ever drink.

Your body is made up of 80% water.  In order for your body to function properly, your cells must be properly hydrated.  The cells are the building blocks of all your muscles and organs.  If they are dehydrated, your body is not going to function as the efficient machine it is designed to be.  According to a lot of what I have read, one of the causes of many dis-eases is dehydration. 

According to F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. in his book Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! , “every twenty-four hours the body recycles the equivalent of forty thousand glasses of water to maintain its normal physiological functions….Within this pattern of water metabolism and its recycling process…the body becomes short of about six to ten glasses of water each day.” (p.225)

Most reliable sources I have read, including “Dr. Bat”, suggest drinking at least half of your body’s weight in ounces of water per day.  So, for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water daily.  Using this formula, that commonly known recommendation of drinking eight 8oz glasses a day really only works for those who weigh around 128 pounds.

If you are active, drink caffeine, or alcohol, you should drink even more than half your body weight in ounces of water.

For some of us, that is a lot of water.  Some are hesitant to drink that much, because they don’t want to spend the day in the bathroom.  Try to gradually build up to the amount your body really needs. Add one more glass per week, until you reach your recommended amount, so your body gets used to drinking more.

Some folks I know complain of constipation.  I ask them how much water they drink, and usually I hear “very little” or “none.  I don’t like the taste.”  Water is an excellent laxative.  Try drinking a glass of water with fresh lemon squeezed into it upon rising in the morning.  This helps to get your digestive process moving.  You can also pour a tiny bit of pure fruit juice (not sugar-laden) into your glass to give it a little bit of flavor, if that will help you drink more.

So go have a nice, tall glass of water right now.  Your body will thank you for it.