HOW much of us is water?

According to medical books, our body is composed of about 70 percent water, our muscles 75 percent, our brain cells 85 percent, our blood 82 percent, and even our bones, 25 percent ? more or less. So it is unimaginable for us to live without water.

Based on scientific facts, an average human being can survive for five to seven weeks without food, but can last no more than five days without water. On an average day, our body loses about two quarts of water a day through perspiration, urination and exhalation. So if we wait until we are actually thirsty before we take in some water, we would most likely be already dehydrated.

Whether or not we need water is obviously no longer the issue. The big question is: ?How much water should we drink??

The American Dietetic Association has come up with this formula: Take your weight in pounds and divide by two. The result is how many ounces of water you should drink daily. (X lbs/2 = Y ounces of water a day.) An average glass of water is about 12 ounces or about half a liter.

With summer upon us, and the El Niño heat sopping up the water in the air, we?d need as much water as we can take into our system.

Here are 10 big reasons why we should keep drinking lots of water:

1. Water hydrates all the organs of the body.

When we live in a drought condition, our body automatically manages to water the five vital organs of our body namely the brain, heart, lungs, liver and the kidneys. If we just drink enough water to supply what these five vital organs need, the other organs in the body like the skin, the gastrointestinal tract and joints will suffer from dehydration, which would eventually lead to medical symptoms secondary to the malfunction of these non-vital organs. Some of the common symptoms of inadequate water intake include headaches, back pain, joint aches, dry skin, allergies, heart burn, constipation, and memory loss.

2. Drink water to maintain a youthful appearance.

A dehydrated skin will eventually lose its suppleness and gets dry, flaky and wrinkled. Though some people can opt to get cosmetic treatment to manage these symptoms, why bother spending a lot when all it takes is adequate water to make your skin retain that healthy glow.

3. Drinking enough water leads to weight loss.

Sounds implausible? This is a fact. When the body is in dehydrated mode, it secretes a hormone called aldosterone that causes water retention. As we drink more water, our body releases the water that it has been storing for survival mode. Though drinking lots of water can be initially discouraging because of frequent trips to the bathroom, take heart because this is the body?s way of getting rid of excess water and toxins from our system, There are also newer research that have found that if our body is in dehydrated mode, it automatically stores fat as a way to help raise or maintain body temperature. And, as most dieters know, drinking water reduces the appetite by giving one a fuller feeling. So grab that water bottle, guys, if you want to shed that extra baggage.

4. Drink water to improve memory.

Since our brain cells are composed of about 85 percent water, being dehydrated can cause damage to our neurons and lead to memory loss. Ever wonder why we sometime experience ?senior moments??

5. Drink alkaline water to enhance the body?s capacity to remove impurities and toxins.

Due to poor diet, our bodies become acidic and toxic. One way to manage this is to bring back the body?s pH balance. On the pH scale of 1 to14, a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral. Anything under 7.0 is acidic, anything over 7.0 is alkaline. But most human tissues are very acidic (as indicated by an acidic urine pH), meaning the body becomes less efficient in expelling toxins. By drinking alkaline water, we improve the body?s capacity to combat the unwanted toxins from our system that could possibly lead to many health problems like fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoporosis, most cancers and practically all degenerative diseases.

6. Drink more water and minimize your caffeine intake to prevent dehydration.

Coffee and tea are among the most common beverages in the market today. Though studies have proven that these drinks contain antioxidants which are good for the body, they are also known to be diuretics that take water from our system. You can be drinking iced tea the whole day but you can still be mildly dehydrated because it?s a diuretic. Individuals who have chronic migraines and abnormal heart rhythm should probably avoid caffeinated drinks altogether during hot weather.

7. Drink more water to improve digestion.

Water is the sole hero of the gastrointestinal tract, considered the basis of every fluid in digestion, including saliva, mucous and stomach acid. Without water, symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, constipation and even hemorrhoids can occur.

8. Drink more water to prevent high blood pressure.

When the body is mildly dehydrated, it restricts the blood flow to non-vital organs and instead concentrates on vital organs, which could result in high blood pressure. Drinking enough water gradually opens up the blood vessels, thus lowering the blood pressure.

9. Drink water to build more muscles.

It has been shown that dehydration decreases protein synthesis, which is necessary for muscle-building. When you suppress protein synthesis, fewer calories end up building proteins and more calories end up stored as fat.

10. Drinking a lot of water regulates body temperature.

Water regulates the body?s cooling system. Sports drinks are only advisable post exercise. Many researchers have proven that water is far better than any other carbohydrate beverage. For every 12 ounces of water we take, our body absorbs 8 percent of it within 15 minutes. If we drink 12 ounces of a 10 percent sugar-solution beverage, less than an ounce will be absorbed in the same period. A typical soft drink is a 10 to 12 percent sugar solution. When you drink enough water, you?ll feel more energetic while doing more exercises, and will be less likely to suffer from heat stroke. ?