The recommendation for water consumption is about eight to 10 cups per day with a well balanced diet. Second to oxygen, water is the most vital substance you require. In fact, we can lose almost all our body fat and half of our protein and stay alive, but take away 35-40 percent of the water in our bodies and we can't survive. Water is responsible for carrying all the nutrients we consume throughout the body to all our tissues and organs. Likewise, water carries away the waste products our body makes and clears our system of toxins.
Water is essential for digestion, breathing, temperature regulation and overall well-being.
Besides the very important job of carrying around nutrients and removing waste products from the body, water is key in many other aspects of good health. Water is a universal solvent and lubricant. It cushions our tissues and serves to lubricate our joints. When the levels of water are diminished within our bodies, these protective factors are lost and the stage is set for greater health problems and complications. Dehydration can take many forms and often cause or aggravate such problems as digestive ailments, dry skin, respiratory problems, muscle soreness, joint pain, persistent constipation and urinary infections.