Hydration: The chemical combination of water into another substance.

Why drink water?
Water, the most common substance on Earth, is also the nutrient that your body needs the most. Between 55 and 75 percent of adult body weight is water (about 10 to 12 gallons). Water is critical in regulating all body organs and temperature as well as dissolving solids and moving nutrients throughout the body. Research has shown that proper hydration may minimize chronic pains such as rheumatoid arthritis, lower back pain, migraines, and colitis as well as lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Because water is naturally low in sodium, has no fat, cholesterol or caffeine and isn't flushed straight through the body like many other beverages, it's the natural solution that your body chooses to help reach its daily fluid quota.

Tap Water. Filtered Water. Bottled Water.
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water.
How do I know which one is right for me?
You may want to think about your drinking water in terms of Good, Better, Best. While our tap water is GOOD, as it is monitored to be safe for us to drink, you may find it to have an unpleasant taste or odor, such as chlorine. A Carbon Filter can make your water BETTER by removing odors and sediment, but it will not remove dissolved minerals and salts. Bottled Water and water that is processed by Reverse Osmosis may be your BEST choice as they are processes that treat sediment, odors, dissolved minerals and salts so you can enjoy clear, refreshing water.

What are the differences between bottled waters?
Purified or Distilled Water:
Bottled water produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable process and meets the definition of purified water in the United States. Water which meets the definition of this paragraph and is vaporized, then condensed, may be labeled "distilled water."
Drinking Water: bottled water obtained from an approved source that has, at minimum, undergone treatment consisting of filtration, (activated carbon and/or particulate), and ozonation or an equivalent disinfection process.
Natural Water: Bottled spring, mineral, artesian well or well water which is derived from an underground formation and is not derived from a municipal system or public water supply and is not modified by blending with water from another source, or by the addition or deletion of dissolved solids, except as it relates to ozonation or equivalent disinfection and filtration.
Spring Water: Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earth's surface. "Spring Water" shall meet the requirements of "Natural Water."

How often should I drink water?
Believe it or not, humans lose a pint or more of water every day simply by breathing! Humans normally lose about 10 cups of fluid a day in exhaled air, perspiration, and other bodily secretions. What is lost must be replaced to maintain a fluid balance. Don't wait until you're thirsty to pour a glass of water. By the time you feel thirsty, you've probably already lost 2 or more cups of your total body water.

How much water should I be drinking?
The right amount of water is essential for keeping your body functioning. The average person only consumes six 8-ounce servings of water a day. This is well below the recommended eight servings. How much you really need to drink depends on your body size, activity level and the air temperature. To determine your ideal daily water intake, experts at the Mayo Clinic suggest dividing your weight in half and using this number as the ounces of water you should consume. Going off of this formula, a 125-pound person should indeed consume the recommended eight servings of water each day; however, someone who weighs 175 pounds should aim for eleven servings. If you are physically active, the American Dietetic Association recommends adding one to three cups of water to your daily diet for each hour of physical activity.

Are there special times when I should drink more water?
In addition to being in extremely hot weather, you should also drink more water when in colder climates or at higher altitudes. This is because you are laboring to breathe, and water is evaporating quicker from your lungs. To combat low humidity on airplanes, drink one 8-ounce serving of water for every hour you are in the air.

There are other factors that affect how much water you need, so remember these tips:

1.	Drink extra water the day before you travel.
2.	When on a plane, low humidity means you should drink an extra 8-ounce glass of water for every hour in the air.
3.	Going to be outside in the summer heat? Drink an extra glass or two of water.
4.	Drink more water as it gets colder outside. Your body needs more energy and loses a lot of water through breathing when it's cold.
5.	If you're sick, avoid dehydration by drinking more water.
6.	Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate your body. Try to drink an extra 8-ounce serving of water for every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you have.
7.	Nursing mothers need more water for breast milk.
8.	Smoking can also have a dehydrating effect. So if you smoke, be sure to drink more water.

Exercise and water intake
Once you start exercising, don't stop drinking water. Thirst is not always an adequate indicator of the body's need for fluid replenishment during exercise. Studies show that during vigorous exercise, an important amount of fluid reserves may be lost before you are aware of thirst. During exercise, it's recommended to replenish fluids at least every 20 minutes. You should also drink plenty of water before and after you exercise, regardless of thirst.

Proper hydration helps dieting
You could survive for as long as six weeks without food, but you couldn't survive more than a week without water! Water is the nutrient that your body needs the most. When your body is dehydrated, it may signal you to eat or drink something sweet to give you a temporary energy boost. However, what you really need is water. Foods and beverages containing sugar and artificial sweeteners have been found to actually stimulate your appetite and increase your hunger. That's why to discourage the temptation of overeating, dietitians and nutritionists urge you to drink a lot of water when dieting.

Expectant and nursing mothers
Because what they drink is distributed throughout not only their body but also their child's, expectant mothers should drink six to eight 8-ounce servings of water a day. This recommended water intake may actually be conservative, based on other factors such as weight, age, activity level, weather conditions, etc. Once the baby is born, breast-feeding mothers should be sure to continue replenishing water lost through nursing.

Babies and school-age children
It varies according to the child's body weight and activity level. Since infants can't always express thirst, the best way to monitor their hydration level is by checking their diaper which should require frequent changes throughout the day. Active, school-age children tend to dehydrate even more quickly and should be encouraged to drink an 8-ounce serving of water before heading out to play as well as once every 20-30 minutes during play (especially if it's hot outside).

Seniors
The older you are, the more vulnerable you become to the effects of dehydration. As people age, their kidney functions may decrease, their thirst signals may become dulled, their body retains less water, and their overall activity level declines. Older people also tend to take more prescription drugs that can dehydrate their bodies. For these reasons, people over 70 should drink at least the recommended number of water servings per day.

The symptoms of dehydration
That headachy feeling you may be experiencing at the end of the day may very well be a sign of dehydration. Because the brain is made up of 75% water, moderate dehydration can often cause lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches and nausea. More severe dehydration may also raise the body's core temperature, effect muscle strength, endurance and coordination as well as increase the risk of cramps, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. One of the best ways to recognize dehydration is to pay close attention to the color of your urine - ideally, light to clear urine indicates proper water intake.

Smoking and dehydration
The chemicals in tobacco cause your blood vessels to temporarily constrict, a reaction that parallels what happens to your body when it's dehydrated. When dehydration and smoking are combined, the body's need for water is only intensified. Smoking also accelerates how quickly your body metabolizes caffeine and, as a result, it quickens caffeine's dehydrating effect on the body.