By: Joaquin Ramirez
Water is easily the most vital resource that we have on this planet. Almost all living things need a certain amount of water for survival. For these reasons you would think water consumption would be close to the top of the priority list for daily nutritional needs. Sadly, this is just not the case.
Our bodies are about half water and can be found in the bones, fat tissue, muscles, brain and blood. There are two main types of water/fluid found in the body intra and extracellular fluid. Intracellular fluid makes up about 66% of the body’s water! This means that most of the body’s water is in our individual cells powering it’s every function. That is why making sure you have enough daily is so important.
Water, just like any one of us has a daily to do list:
-Dissolve substances
-Transport substances
-Regulate temperature
-Provide minerals
-Lubricate tissue
-Catalyze chemical reactions
Understanding the importance of fluid balance is key to optimizing your nutrition and health.
Water’s General Rule of Thumb
The baseline for water consumption daily is about 3 liters(12 cups). Your food is made up of roughly 1 L which, means you need to drink another 2 liters throughout the day (water in protein shakes, coffee and tea does not count).
Weldedters! If you are exercising hard daily, you will need at least another liter. Make it a habit to consume enough water daily. You might just find that your performance and recovery will increase.
Works Cited
Berardi, John, Krista Scott-Dixon, Ryan Andrews, Brian St Pierre, Camille De Putter and Hellen Kollias. The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition. Precision Nutrition Inc., 2016. Print