Are You Hydrated?

I've been on a water kick for years and, as a result, already knew many of these facts that one of my friends sent me in an email recently. But it was an excellent review for me and I wanted to pass it on to anyone who isn't yet converted to the concept of regular hydration with simple water.

An easy rule of thumb I learned many years ago: Divide your weight in half and that's how many ounces of water you should be drinking every day.

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

P.S. Though it may sound a bit gross, one easy way to tell if you're hydrated enough is by the color of your urine. If it's dark yellow, you're dehydrated; if it's about the color of lemonade, you're doing well.