by Michael Hodgson

Water accounts for approximately 60-percent of your total body weight. The river of life, your blood, is made up of 90-percent water. Water is the most abundant substance in the human body. An average adult had carries about 11 gallons on board at any given time. Water carries the oxygen and nutrients your body needs, and helps to flush out the contaminants your body doesn't. Water helps to lubricate the joints, regulate your temperature and aids in digestion and metabolism. If you are like most people, you are not drinking enough water. Think about it. When was your last drink ... of the purely H20 kind thank you. Consider that experts recommend you consume between three to four quarts of water a day, or around .5 ounces of water per pound of your body weight.

Do you wait to drink until your body says, 'gee, I'm thirsty'? Then you are about a quart and a half low, or roughly 5-percent dehydrated. Take stock of your daily routine and your physical conditioning and possible ailments. Chances are, if you were intaking the correct amount of water, you might feel better. Fatigue and mild headaches are sign that you are becoming dehydrated. Don't consume enough water and your output of energy will drop.

Dehydration can lead to accidents by causing progressive loss of coordination and inability to concentrate and can predispose you to various ailments such as heat illness, hypothermia or frostbite. Just because it is cold doesn't been you aren't losing water either. In a cold, dry climate, your body can lose up to a quart of water a day just through breathing.

If your water needs are reaching critical, you'll notice your urine is dark yellow ... it should be relatively clear ... and there is less of it. You may even become snappy (and I don't mean in a good way), feel completely exhausted, and your mind will begin wandering, having difficulty remaining focused on anything meaningful.

In medical jargon, there are three levels of dehydration: Mild: your mucus membranes dry out, your pulse is normal, your urine noticeably yellow, and you feel mild thirst. Moderate: your mucus membranes are extremely dry, your pulse is weak and rapid, your urine is very dark, you feel very thirsty. Severe: mucous membranes completely dry, disorientation, drowsy, tired, no urine output, inability to make tears, and shocky (rapid weak pulse, rapid breathing, pale skin).

Should you drink water or sports drinks? Although there are those who will argue the benefits of one over the other, the answer is both are good. Sports drinks do provide energy, maximize fluid absorption and they replace minerals lost during activity ... something pure water cannot do. The bottom line is that you need to drink and if the only way you can feel good about drinking is to flavor your water with Gatorade, All Sport, CytoMax, Recharge or any oth er of the host of sports drinks out there, then go for it. Just don't forget to supplement your intake with at least a quart or two of pure, simple H20 ... your body will thank you for it.

© 1999 Michael Hodgson; All Rights Reserved