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How much water should I drink daily?

As a baseline, you should try to drink at least half your body weight in ounces a day. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should try to drink 90 oz(=2.66 litres) of water per day. You should increase consumption during periods of increased physical activity or other physical stress.

Because the amount of water you need depends on your size, activity level, age and other factors such as diet and stress level, the eight 8-oz. glasses a day is not a good guideline for everyone. For example, a 120-pound female living in a temperature-controlled environment does not require as much water as a 250-pound male doing vigorous physical activity.

Remember to drink before you get thirsty. If you wait until you're thirsty, you're already slightly dehydrated.

Isn’t it important to have minerals in water?

No. Pure water provides your body the most effective hydration. If you eat a proper diet, you can get all the minerals you need from food. If necessary, you certainly enhance your mineral needs with quality supplements.

Many mistakenly believe drinking spring or mineral water provides a good source for minerals. According to the American Medical Journal, “The minerals which the human body needs that are in the water are insignificant to those in food… and anyone simply eating a varied diet, not even a balanced diet, could hardly suffer a mineral deficiency.”

The main reason minerals in water are insignificant is because they are in an inorganic state, whereas minerals in food are in an organic (or bio-available) state.

“The only minerals that the body can utilize are the organic minerals,” said Dr. Charles Mayo of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. “All other types of minerals are foreign substances to the body and must be eliminated.”

That’s why we say the only thing that belongs in your water is water.

Why is drinking water so important?

Our bodies are approximately 65% water. By properly hydrating with good, clean, quality water, you allow your body to function more efficiently. Some of the benefits of proper hydration may include:

• Healthy skin and hair

• Healthy joints (Research indicates that eight to 10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80 percent of sufferers.)

• Stronger immune system

• Faster recovery from surgery

• Faster recovery from physical activity

• Reduced hypertension

• Reduced cholesterol

• Reduce risk of various types of cancers (According to the Bottled Water Web, drinking five glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, breast cancer by 79 percent, and bladder cancer by 50 percent.)

How do I know when I’m dehydrated?

Dehydration causes many common health complaints. Research indicates that approximately half of Americans are dehydrated. Here are some of the signs that may indicate you’re dehydrated:

• Fatigue and weakness (Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.)

• Headaches

• Mental fogginess (A mere 2 percent drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.)

• Decreased visual ability

• Rheumatoid joint pain (arthritis)

• Rough, dry skin

• Dry mucous membranes in nose, mouth, or throat

• Nosebleeds (especially in dry interior air during winter)

• Dark, concentrated, strong-smelling urine in small quantities

• Irritability

• Anxiety

• Muscle fatigue

• Irrational behavior

• Constipation

• Nausea

• Intestinal cramps

• Weak, irregular pulse

• Low blood pressure

• Shallow, rapid breathing

• Chronic illnesses

Here are a few other potential consequences of dehydration:

• Even if you’re only suffering mild dehydration, your metabolism will slow down as much as 3 percent.

• Increased chance for asthmatic individuals to suffer an attack.

• The decreased blood volume can lead to an increased chance for a heart attack.

• May compromise liver function as it causes the liver to be overloaded with toxins.

If you only drink water when you are thirsty, you probably aren't drinking enough. That’s because our thirst mechanisms aren't usually a good indicator of when we need water. When you become thirsty, chances are you’re already dehydrated.

Who’s at the greatest risk for dehydration?

Well, we’re all at risk for dehydration if we don’t drink enough water, but children and seniors seem to be at the highest risk. Many kids don’t drink water. Instead, kids drink lots of sugar drinks (juice with high fructose corn syrup added) and sodas. Newsday reports that more than 186,000 children are hospitalized for dehydration in the U.S. every year.

Seniors very often don't drink any water. They prefer tea or other drinks. These beverages are solutes, containing materials or other dissolved solids. Water containing a large amount of dissolved solids does not have as high a driving force to exchange cellular fluids, which is an impediment to hydration. Diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol may have a net dehydrating effect by altering the body’s fluid balance mechanism to discharge fluids. The phosphates in sodas also rob the body of oxygen. With seniors, the risk of dehydration can be more acute.

Women are at greater risk for dehydration than men because they have less muscle mass and lower body water content than men.

Source: "http://www.pentawater.com/faq.shtml" November 9, 2006