During these high heats of summer, when you could probably fry an egg on the sidewalk, bake cookies in your car, or catch fire immediately after walking outside, drinking plenty of water is crucial for maintaining your health.
Not paying attention to your water intake in these scorching temperatures could lead to a trip to the emergency room.
Though the rule of thumb is to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day, there’s no scientific evidence to back this up.
Instead, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends men consume at least 104 ounces of water per day and women at least 72 ounces. If you’re participating in any outdoor activities or vigorous exercise, you should increase your intake by about 12 to 20 ounces per day.
Of course, individual needs will vary. One of the easiest ways to tell if you’re drinking enough water is to make sure your urine is a pale yellow to straw color. Another way is to apply pressure on the skin. Blood vessels right beneath the skin’s surface should fill back up within 2 seconds, turning skin back to its normal color.
Now that you know how much water you should drink, here are 4 benefits of drinking enough water:
1. Drinking plenty of fluids promotes peak physical performance.
If you enjoy summer activities, such as kayaking, hiking, or water sports, dehydration, even the slightest, can make these activities more difficult and unenjoyable by hampering your cardiovascular system, metabolism, central nervous system, and ability to regulate your body temperature. Even muscle strength is thought to be affected by inadequate hydration.
The symptoms of dehydration can creep up when you lose as little as 2 percent of your water volume, though it is possible to lose far greater amounts when participating in high impact activities, especially in the summer sun.
2. Adequate hydration protects brain function.
Brain function impairment can happen with a water loss of as little as 1 to 3 percent of body weight. Sweating isn’t the only way we lose water. Our bodies excrete water through urine, bowel movements, and breathing, making a 1 to 3 percent loss easy.
Some studies have shown that fluid loss between 1 and 2 percent of body weight after exercise increased fatigue, anxiety, and headache frequency, while also impairing mood, concentration, and working memory. Drinking ample water throughout the day can help you avoid these complications.
3. Proper hydration can help alleviate or prevent hangovers.
Campfire refreshments and beachfront beers are a part of many relaxing summer routines, but booze does not count as hydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing water loss through frequent urination and leading to dehydration.
There are overlapping symptoms of dehydration and hangovers, including fatigue, headache, dry mouth, and thirst. While fluid loss isn’t the primary cause of why you feel awful the next day, drinking water between drinks and before going to bed will help alleviate the symptoms of dehydration – allowing you to be passably human at work or continue with your summery escapades.
4. Water can help you lose weight.
Want the perfect summer bod? Well, you’ve already got one - it’s summer and you have a body and you look fabulous. Want to lose weight to reduce your risk of developing obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease? Drink more water.
Studies have shown drinking 17 ounces of water increased metabolic rates by 24 to 30 percent for up to one and a half hours. And if you drink about half an hour before a meal, you’ll feel fuller and eat less – a technique that could help you shed 44 percent more weight.
Since you’re staying hydrated this summer, drinking purified water can reduce your exposure to toxins such as lead, chromium 6, disinfection byproducts, pesticides, and prescription medication residue.
You don’t have to buy cases upon cases of bottled water to avoid these contaminants, as home water filtration systems are readily available. However, most of these systems are expensive and are only designed to remove a handful of dangerous chemicals.
AquaTru, on the other hand, was designed to remove 74 contaminants regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). AquaTru is an affordable countertop reverse osmosis water purifier so powerful it can turn Diet Coke into purified water.
And since no plumbing or installation is required, AquaTru is perfect for RV’s, boats, extended stay vacation spots, or even campsites. Stay hydrated this summer with purified water wherever your adventures take you.