“Mom! What’s for dinner?’ I have heard that question hundreds of times. I have answered with a quick reply, but how much thought have I really given to the life-giving nutrition dinner can contain? I am continually trying to give meal planning and nourishing my body a higher priority. Good nourishment is an attempt which can lead to better health. Our body’s primary need is water, so it is essential to consider the importance of consuming water to nourish my body. One can live three weeks without food, but usually only three days without water.  I need to daily cultivate the habit of hydration.

Personal Story

I recall a particularly challenging time in my life. My son had a health condition which baffled local doctors, so they referred him to the Mayo Clinic specialists. My husband and I accompanied him and checked in to a hotel for our stay. We had many appointments the next day. We were returning to the room on the elevator, when I realized I had a headache, was very dizzy, and felt like I was going to pass out.

We made it to the room and were talking about what could be wrong with me. I remembered that I had only had one 16-ounce of water all day long. I didn’t want to drink from the hospital water fountains and was too cheap to buy water. I drank a whole bottle of water and began to feel better. I learned an important lesson that day: buy water when I need a drink! Or I should drink the water that is available, even if is not up to my standards.

Our body composition is mainly water. Each little cell has from 65-90% water. There is extra water present between many cells. On average, the human body is 50-75% water. The percentage is highest in babies and children. Adult men have the next highest amount and adult women have a somewhat lower percentage. Water is lost through daily perspiring, breathing, urinating, and many other body functions, so we need to be diligent to replace it through endeavoring to drink plenty of good, clean water.

Tips

Here are some tips to help us properly hydrate our bodies:

1. It is best to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and continue to drink water regularly throughout the day.
2. A general guideline for how much water a person needs is to drink one half of their weight in ounces. For example, a woman who weighs 120 pounds needs to have an intake of about 60 ounces, or 7.5 cups. A child who weighs 40 pounds would need about 20 ounces, 2.5 cups of water.
3. If a person participates in a lot of physical activity or if it is a hot day, there is a need to replace the fluid lost and consume more water.
4. Caffeine-containing beverages and alcohol further dehydrate the body and an extra glass of water consumed for each cup consumed.

We can make a daily goal to drink plenty of water that is as pure as possible. Tap water can contain a variety of contaminants, which could include: chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, microorganisms, or other impurities. There can also be a problem with drinking too much water from plastic water bottles due to xenoestrogens, which can affect our hormones and intestinal systems. One could consider purchasing filtered water or using a filtration system to improve water quality. However, I have learned from experience that it is important to drink enough water than to limit drinking tap water to avoid impurities.

How do you cultivate the habit of hydration? Do you get enough water intake every day?

Please share your experiences in the comment section.