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H2O

So you hear it all the time: Drink 8- 8oz. glasses of water a day!!!

But why 8- and is that a magical number for everyone?
NO. According to the Mayo Clinic, It is different for every individual and different on a day to day basis depending on your activity. Things that factor in your water consumption should be: exercise (because if you are sweating you need to replenish that), Environment (again sweat in the heat, but even in the cold winter your skin needs more to stay moisturized), Illness and pregnancy also require additional amounts of water.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that the average healthy male should be drinking 13 glasses and the average healthy female should drink 9 glasses in temperate conditions.

I've also read that you should drink 2/3 of your body weight in oz. So take how much you weight in pounds (for example: 150 lbs) and divide that by 2/3 (which is 100) and that's how many ounces you should be drinking. (100 oz. = 12.5 glasses)

That sounds like a lot right!! Well think about this. Much of what we eat has water in it. In fact our food can account for 20% of our daily water needs. Think about fruits like melons, grapes and apples. You are getting more than just great vitamins, you are getting your water needs met too. 
Also many of your drinks are made with mostly water, such as coffee, tea, milk, even beer and wine. I however recommend sticking with the pure H2O. It's calorie free, easily accessible and cheap.

I say as long as you are not feeling thirsty throughout the day and your urine is a very light yellow with no odor then you are good. But of course if you have serious concerns about your water intake consult your doctor!!! I am no professional on this matter.

So what are the benefits?
*I drink water before every meal. It acts as an apatite suppressant so I don't eat to much.
*It's a great snack! I used to eat just because I was bored. Now I grab my water when that happens and I'm not consuming unnecessary sweets.
*It maintains your bodily fluids. You all know we are made of 60% water. That's because it has a lot of responsibility in our bodies. We need to keep hydrated so we function normally :)
*Drink before, during and after a workout. keeping your muscles hydrated is important for their performance as well as recovery.
*Water helps keep your skin pretty. No it can't undo damage already done. but dry skin will look older. So keep it hydrated and then lock that in with a moisturizer.
*Be kind to your kidneys. You know that the kidneys help rid your body of toxins right? So why not help keep them flushed and moving through regularly. If you don't you're going to get kidney stones!
*Water also boosts your metabolism! If you find yourself feeling fatigued then drink up!
*Helps improve cognitive function. Your brain needs oxygen to preform, and more water will get it there. Water also helps support nerve function. So when your brain is going full force so is your body.

How much water are you drinking?


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