More Water Please.

Ok seriously, I have always known that we are supposed to drink lots of water. As most people do, I have been good about drinking lots of it...and then been bad at times. Sometimes we just need to be reminded how important it really is to be properly hydrated. Lately, I have had a workout partner badgering me to drink more water and telling me how important it is for my skin so I have been paying much closer attention to it...and how much more I should be drinking. I can tell you this..when I am drinking what I am supposed to be, I feel SO much better on so many levels.

Have you ever run up a flight of stairs and felt out of breathe when you KNOW you aren't normally that tired from a few simple stairs? Well, sometimes the reason for that can be simple dehydration! Just the other day it happened to me. Ran up ONE flight of stairs and my heart was beating like crazy...something that does not normally happen to me because I run stairs all the time for exercise! When I began calculating my water intake for the day prior and day of...I realized I had been neglecting the ever important H2O.

Water & Performance

The body cannot adapt to dehydration, which impairs every physiologic function. See the following EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION! YOWZERS THIS IS SCARY!!!!

Decreased blood volume

Decreased performance

Decreased blood pressure

Decreased sweat rate

Increased core temperature

Water retention (Puffy face!)

Increased heart rate 

Sodium retention

Decreased cardiac output

Decreased blood flow to the skin (Hello breakouts!)

Increased perceived exertion (Tired up only 1 flight of stairs!)

Increased use of muscle glycogen (muscles get exhausted wayyyy faster!)

MEN! You should be drinking approximately 13 cups daily. Ladies! You are looking at around 9....and that's only if you are SEDENTARY. Water intake should be increased if trying to lose weight, and should also be increased if exercising briskly or living in a hot climate.

Consuming an adequate amount of water will improve body temperature regulation, metabolic function, and endocrine gland and liver function. ...As well, nutrients are distributed throughout the body MUCH better, blood volume is maintained, and fluid retention is alleviated. 

So to sum it all up...let's all start drinking more water. I'm in!