Water, water, water

Our bodies are approximately 60% water, so as you know, it is vital to our existence. We can only survive a few days without water. Drinking an adequate amount of water has many benefits, besides the obvious, to our body:

-endocrine gland function improves (these glands secrete hormones into the blood stream)
-fluid retention is alleviated (good-bye extra water weight!)
-liver functions improve (which means percentage of fat used for energy increases!)
-natural thirst returns
-appetite decreases significantly
-body temperature regulation improves

and these are just SOME of the benefits! I know what you're thinking, ok Amber, we all know how important water is, but the big question is HOW MUCH are we supposed to drink? Ok, ok, I'm getting to that. It varies depending on where you get your information. All through my education the answer has varied depending who was teaching the class. If you research it you will also find different answers. So here's my answer to that question. The AVERAGE amount of water a person should drink is about 96 ounces (12 cups = 6 pt = 3 qt = 3/4 gal. = 2.84l)(National Academy of Sports Medicine). Susan was right Danielle it's to the point where you are peeing all the time! =) In all seriousness now, if that does seem like too much water for you, especially if you aren't drinking very much water go by the 8x8 rule. Drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day (8 oz = 1 cup). So grab a glass and start sippin'!