Are You Drinking Enough Water Every Day?
Staying hydrated is something we’re all constantly encouraged to do by either our healthcare providers or the internet—and for good reason! “Hydration is vital to our wellbeing, because water makes up to 65 percent of our body weight, and fuels nearly every biological process from regulating body temperature and helping break food down properly, to flushing out waste, and more,” says Carrie Gabriel MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and creator of The Homecooking Dietitian.
Because of this, many of the mild nagging symptoms we may experience on a day-to-day basis may actually be related to dehydration. “Even mild dehydration can affect energy, focus, mood, exercise performance, and appetite cues,” adds Kelsey Kalenderian, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Balanced Nutrition with Kelsey.
But maintaining proper hydration—an individualized number that could range anywhere from nine cups (72 fluid ounces) for women to about 13 cups (104 ounces) for men per day.
Excerpted from Real Simple
