How you can determine whether your water intake is adequate!
By Linda Matter, M.A.
One of the Easiest Ways to Promote Your Own Health & Wellness
Many of us have heard that humans will die in a few days without water and that a large percentage of the human body is made up of water. I’ve seen averages of roughly 60-70% water, which varies depending on the organs/tissues – I have seen amounts of water reported for the eyes somewhere around 95%, the brain anywhere from 75-85%, blood, lungs, cartilage and kidneys anywhere from 80-85%, the heart and muscles somewhere around 75%, tendons anywhere from 60-80% and bones around 22%. It seems it would behoove us then to know whether we are consuming enough water to support the health and function of our tissues and organs. So, the question becomes how much and how to know when sufficiency has been reached. For the relatively healthy person, the following is a quick and easy way to monitor hydration levels at any given point in time.
First, look at the color of your urine to determine where you are at currently. Provided that you are not taking a diuretic medication and excluding the effect of certain vitamins on coloring urine, the following applies; very, very light yellow indicates you are well hydrated, yellow indicates some level of dehydration (the yellower, the further you are down the road of dehydration), and orange is indicative of dehydration.
Second, establish a base-line amount to be drinking each day. However, be mindful that numerous factors contribute to the need for water at any given time such as activity level, diet, medications, stress level, current level of health, environment ( e.g. airplane travel and drier climates (think time of year) require increased amounts of water). So know that need changes depending on many factors. One common rule of thumb is to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day (64 ounces). Fereydoon Batmanghelidj in his book, You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!, gives us a sense of why that amount – “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, and depending on environmental conditions, the body becomes short of about six to ten glasses of water each day.” Another rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day, so a person weighting 150 pounds will want to drink at least 75 ounces of water each day (taking into account the other factors listed above which can increase the need for water).
Third, account for consumption of diuretic beverages, such as packaged fruit juices, excessive amounts of natural fruit juices, caffeinated beverages (teas, coffee), alcohol and soda. The rule of thumb here is to consume twice as much water than was consumed of the diuretic beverage ( e.g. 24 ounces of water would be needed to replace a 12 ounce diuretic beverage).
Remember, replacement of water due to consumption of diuretic beverages is always in addition to the base-line amount. (A note about water retention: the body retains water when it is facing dehydration so to encourage the body to stop retaining water, one needs to be drinking more water. If taking a diuretic medication or a medication with diuretic side-effects, it is very important that you keep your doctor informed when increasing your water consumption as it is possible that increasing water consumption could change your need regarding those medications.)
When incorporating optimum levels of water as a lifestyle, do the following:
Locate sources of good-quality water. Ask grocers and employers whether they have/are willing to provide a quality source of water (Whole Foods and most coops and have reverse osmosis water machines). Water, The Ultimate Cure by Steve Meyerowitz is one source to consult for the many options available regarding water quality.
Start each day with at least 16 ounces and drink at regular intervals throughout the day. Carry water and keep it easily available. Build drinking water into daily routines and at transitions (completing/starting a project, arrive/leaving home, getting into/out of the car, going to bed/getting up, arriving/leaving work, bathroom breaks, etc).
Consuming adequate amounts of water to produce a very light color urine most of the time, can have the following potential benefits: loss of weight, less headaches, increased immune function, increased ability to concentrate and focus, increased energy, less problems with allergies, smoother skin, stress reduction, brighter outlook, better elimination, less joint pain, less heartburn, better digestion and less cravings – not to mention the numerous cardiovascular, hormonal, brain, digestive, respiratory, immune, detoxification, cellular and metabolic processes that depend upon an adequate supply of water on a daily basis in order to carry out their functions on behalf of your overall health and well-being. Providing your body enough water will not only keep you alive, but is a quick and easy way to achieve an edge up on health, well-being and quality of life for many years to come.