Water, Not Too Much & Not Too Little

Coke tastes better than water. So does lemonade, fruit juice, tea, coffee and of course alcohol! We all ENJOY drinking these things. If you are like me, you probably don’t ENJOY drinking water – you just know you should. Is pure water better than, say, orange juice? How much water should we drink a day? Can we drink too much water.. . Our bodies are estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Our body needs water to maintain a steady body temperature. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and lubricates our joints and organs.

Water is lost through urination, respiration, and by sweating. The more actives you are, the more water you lose. If you start to get pains in your joints, headaches, strong smelling yellow urine and constipation, it may be a sign that you are dehydrated, and thus not getting enough water to replace what is lost.

Can we drink too much water, and if so, how much is too much?

Short answer is yes. In fact people are known to have died from drinking too much water. Well, drinking too much water can cause your brain to swell. This swelling can interfere with vital functions such as breathing.

So how much is too much?

According to expert research, drinking several litters over a short period of time (perhaps over 1-2 hours), can be enough to cause the brain to swell.

Ok, so how much is ‘ideal’?

Experts tend to agree that 2.5 liters per day is an ideal amount of water to consume. Juice contains vital vitamins, so a small portion is good.

To reiterate – drink enough water!

It is difficult to keep on top of drinking enough water.