Are you drinking enough water? If you answered yes, what is the optimal amount? Is the old standard of 8 glasses of water a day the right formula for everyone? There is not a "one size fits all" amount of water that everyone should be drinking.

     Some people say "drink lots of water". But what is a lot of water and how do you know how much to drink?

     If a woman weighing 100 pounds drinks 8 glasses of water a day, that amount may cause over hydration. On the other hand if a man weighing 200 pounds drinks 8 glasses of water a day he falls far below the correct amount of water.
There is a simple formula you can use to determine the right amount of water consumption each day.

The formula is:
Your body weight ÷ 2 = Optimal H2O Intake

    The optimal amount of water to drink is ½ your body weight (pounds) in ounces per day. For example, a 200 lb. person will need to drink 100 ounces of water per day. A key point to remember is that other fluids do not count toward your goal of ½ your bodyweight in ounces. Those fluids include: coffee, tea, juices, soda, milk, sports drinks, and flavored water. In fact, other fluids like sports drinks and juices can actually dehydrate the body because it takes water to actually dilute these high sugar drinks before it is assimilated in the body.

     Now that you know how much water to drink, why is it so important to drink water? The human body is composed of 25% solid matter (solute) and 75% water (solvent). For instance, the nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc is composed mostly of water. The majority of the weight of the upper body is supported by this water volume in the disc; therefore proper hydration can be a preventative measure against low back pain. Water also acts as a lubricating agent for joints which can relieve pain from chronic joint pathologies.

     Timing of water consumption is important to optimal hydration. Drinking water first thing in the morning is critical because during sleep the body becomes dehydrated. Therefore drinking water first thing in the morning is the first step to optimal hydration. Start with 25% of your total water intake in the morning. If your water intake for the day is 100 ounces, you would consume 25 ounces in the morning. The remaining water should be consumed throughout the day.

     The type of water you drink is important to achieving optimal hydration. 80% of bottled waters are filtered tap waters. Choose a bottled water that has approximately 200-300 parts per million (mg/L) of dissolved solids. This ensures a proper amount of dissolved solids in the water to maintain proper hydration. High quality water sources include Evian, Fiji, and Trinity. Water from Reverse Osmosis units can be used but the dissolved solids can be quite low. A great way to remedy this situation is to add a small pinch of Celtic Sea Salt to every liter of water.

     Celtic Sea Salt is an organic, unrefined sea salt that has over 80 trace minerals that will help replenish the body with electrolytes. Not only does it replenish the electrolytes in the body, it is a great way to prevent muscle cramps. Another great benefit of using Celtic Sea Salt is the reduction of allergic tendencies. I have had great results with golfers that have allergic symptoms due to pollen and grass. Many have reported reduced symptoms of allergic reactions with the proper amount of water and the addition of Celtic Sea Salt. Please do not consume regular salt in the place of Celtic Sea Salt. Regular salt is just sodium chloride which can be quite toxic when consumed on its own without the other trace minerals. Drinking the proper amount and correct type of water may be the missing link to improving your health and vitality. So, here’s a drinking to your health.