There is no precise answer as to how much water each person needs. Some of this is dependent on humidity, activity level, environment etc. The best rule of thumb is to make sure your urine is clear. We recommend pure, filtered watered when possible. (The more expensive the water does not necessarily make it a more pure water).
It is especially important to drink water upon waking and throughout the morning. Just by starting out the day more hydrated will give you more energy. Drink water a half hour before eating and an hour following your meal. Drink as little as possible during meals.
Too much liquid during meals dilutes our digestive juices and delays digestion.
There is a high probability that there is a water bottle sitting next to you. How do we know? Last year Americans bought 1.7 billion half-liter bottles of water every week, and as a nation we spent 7 billion dollars on reusable water bottles.Yet despite all this, approximately 95% of women and large portions of men, are still dehydrated.
According to Dr. Dana Cohen, part of this has to do with our cell phone use, computer screens, and central air systems which all zap hydration from our bodies. As we age this often gets worse. Dr. Cohen suggests that in addition to the water we drink, eating foods that are full of “gel water” (water that is found inside the cell walls of plant foods) will boost your hydration level. Gel water rich super foods are all over 90% water by volume. They include cucumbers, romaine lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower and watermelon.
“Drinking water starts the hydration process, but movement completes it”. (Dr. Dana Cohen). Increasing hydration levels primes the body to shed excess pounds, but to really see results movement is the next necessary step in hydration. Movement literally draws hydration through the body and into the cells. It’s the other half of hydration. While all movement activates the body’s water-delivery system, gentle stretching is considered especially beneficial. So keep up the water and the movement!