Active
bodies rely on water because it has many roles throughout the body. According
to the American
Council on Exercise (ACE), water makes up
75% of muscles and 10% of fatty tissues in the body, it helps regulate the
body’s temperature, helps protect vital organs, helps the digestive system
properly, and acts in each cell to transport nutrients and dispels waste. Water
wears many hats when it comes to important jobs in the body.
So, how much
should a person drink?
A helpful
rule of thumb is half of your body weight in ounces. Using a rule like “women
should drink between x-ounces and x-ounces” is a poor way to judge hydration
because everyone is a different size and has different physiological needs. The
rule of half of your body weight is great because it works for everybody and it
is personalized. In addition to drinking half of your body weight in ounces, an
extra 12 ounces of water is required to rehydrate your body for every thirty
minutes of exercise. According to the American
Heart Association, when a person sweats, they lose water weight, so for
every pound shed during exercise, one pint of water is required to replenish
the body.
Another rule
for hydration is to drink water --- even when you are not thirsty. ACE also states that once a person feels
thirsty, they are already dehydrated to some extent.
Water is important
for all individuals, not just athletes or those who are exercising. Dr. Susan
Sheiffs conducted a study
about hydration and its relationship to work and performance and found “The
balance between the loss and gain of fluids maintains the body water within
relatively narrow limits. The routes of water loss from
the body are the urinary system, the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the
respiratory surfaces.” Simply sitting in a chair for a prolonged period of
time, without consuming liquids, can cause a person to become dehydrated. Water
is an important factor in living a healthy life.
Great post, hydration is the key to maintaining health. As an athlete, one is trained and coached to constantly provide your body with the hydration needed to maintain peak performance. In my opinion, non-athletes have a difficult time staying hydrated as they have never had the training for it. The subject of hydration is a difficult task that requires hardiness, it is not easy to force yourself to drink when you don’t have the mentality to already do so. It is key for everyone to understand that water is life.
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