Drink More Water

Your Most Valuable Liquid Asset

Water is the single most important dietary nutrient you take into your body. It lubricates your joints, aids your digestion, promotes healthy circulation, clears away harmful toxins, and regulates your temperature. These benefits are just scratching the surface of what drinking water will do for your body.

Are You Dehydrated? You May Not Even Know It

If you drink too little water and too much soda, coffee or other liquids, you may not know it right away except by the quality of your urine. The human body is incredibly adaptable. When you don't drink enough water, your body adjusts as well as it can even though you're not giving it the resources to function at its best. You probably don't even notice the short-term effects of dehydration, so you might not do anything about it. But over the long term you can't help but be affected. Many doctors agree, a laundry list of health problems afflicting Americans are either caused by or made worse from chronic dehydration.

Water Wise: Some Final Tips About Water

• Don't wait until you're thirsty. By that time you're already dehydrated. This is especially true for children and seniors, so their water intake should be monitored more closely. Drink water on a regular schedule long before your mouth is dry.
• Make water your beverage of choice.
• When drinking juice, go for the products with the most natural ingredients. Reserve soda as an exception rather than the rule in your daily liquid intake.
• Travel is naturally dehydrating. When you're flying in an airplane, drink one cup of water for each hour you're in the air.
• When you're exercising outdoors, try using a handy CamelBak® pack or some other personal-hydration system. Available at most outdoor outfitters, they're great for carrying water so it's available on demand.