How much water do we need on a daily basis?

Our daily need of water is mainly covered through drinking. On a daily basis we need to drink about 1,5 - 2 litres of water. Foodstuffs that have high moisture contents also contribute to our water supply. With our food we absorb about 1 litre of water a day.
Our total required amount of water is 2,5 litres a day. If we drink enough water and eat enough water-containing food, this should not be a problem.
How much water we drink is determined by our habits, not by thirst. When we feel thirsty, this usually is a sign that we have not been drinking a sufficient amount of water.

Why should we drink so much water?

Water, after oxygen, is the second most important substance for human health. Water is a universal solvent and transport medium, and because of that it is the basis of all biological processes in the human body.
Water is mainly important for the digestive system, because it contributes to the constant supply and export of products and substances. The transport of nutrients can only take place through a solvent, and as such water acts as the main transport medium of nutrients.
Water also attends heat regulation in our bodies. For humans it is of vital importance that the body temperature stays at a standard level. That is why we have to drink water, when we are infected with a fever. Water takes up heat and transports it out of the body while we are transpiring.
We can survive without food for about 30 to 40 days, but we can only survive a few days without water. This is a factor that proves how important water is for us.

What causes humans to become thirsty?

When the human body gives off water the amount of saliva in the mouth will decrease. When our salivary glands give off less saliva, our mouth will become drier. This dryness of the mouth is experienced as thirst.

Clean water?

Specifically, where to get pure, contamination free, water. Inspite of the water purification and treatment standards for municipal water systems, there continues to be incidents of contamination which can be harmful to your health.

Residual cryptosporidium and giardia from fecal matter not properly filtered out of the source water supply, high toxic levels of treatment chlorine and lead are not only harmful, but in extreme cases can cause death.

An additional source of lead poisoning can be from lead which is leached into the water from old household piping or lead-based piping solder.

Water and weight loss?

Water is the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off!

Although most of us take it for granted...

Pure, clean water may be the only true Magic Potion for permanent weight loss!

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase!

And an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits!

Here's the reason why...

The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. When they do not work to capacity, some of their load is dumped on the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work at full throttle.

As a result, it metabolizes less fat... more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops!

Drinking an adequate amount of water every day is the best treatment for fluid retention. But when your body is given less water than it needs... it perceives the shortage as a threat to survival and will begin to retain every drop. Water reserves are stored in extra-cellular spaces (outside the cells). This water can show up as swollen feet, hands and legs.

Diuretics only offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs — plenty of water — only then will stored water be released.

If water retention is a constant problem for you... excess salt may be to blame!

Your body will only tolerate sodium in certain concentrations. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy — just drink more water!

As the water is forced through the kidneys, it will remove the excess sodium.

Over weight people need more water than thin people. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism... it follows that the over weight person needs more water to metabolize excess fat.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone... which in turn, aids proper muscle contraction and prevents dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plums the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has more waste to get rid of, and all that metabolized fat must be shed.

Again — water helps flush out this waste!

Water can help relieve constipation . . .

The colon is a primary internal water source. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. Result? Constipation. But when a person drinks enough water... normal bowel function will return.

So far, we have discovered same remarkable truths about water and about weight loss... The body will not function properly without enough water and cannot metabolize stored fat efficiently. On the household weight scales... Retained water shows up as excess weight.

It may seem strange, but to get rid of excess water... You must drink more water!

Drinking water is essential to losing weight.

How much water is enough?

If you are a normal weight for your height, then on average you should drink (8) eight — 8 oz. glasses of pure water every day. However, if you are overweight you should take (1) one additional glass for every 25 lbs. of excess weight you are trying to lose. The amount that you drink should be increased if you exercise, or if the weather is hot and dry.

Preferably, your drinking water should be taken cold...

Cold water is absorbed more quickly into the system than warm water. Some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually burn calories. To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this schedule:

Morning: 1 litre of pure water over 30 minutes
Noon: 1 litre of pure water over 30 minutes
Evening: 1 litre of pure water between 5-6 pm

When the body gets all the water it needs to function optimally, all body system fluids will perfectly balance.

When this happens . . . you reach the "breakthrough point".

So what does that mean?

But don't forget this...

If you stop drinking enough water your body fluids
will again be thrown out of balance . . .

Once again you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst!

So what's the remedy this situation?

Start over . . . Increase your water intake to force another breakthrough!