Our bodies are approximately 70 percent water. 
Our bodies need to be well hydrated to function properly.
Sometimes when we think we are hungry, we really are just thirsty.
Water keeps all of our processes working well. It helps flush toxins.

How do I know if I am drinking enough water?
One way to know if you are drinking enough water is by the color of your urine. It shouldn’t be cloudy, it should be crystal clear, and it should have very little color. If it’s a deep brownish or yellowish, that means that your urine is too concentrated, and that all of the salts that it’s trying to flush are not getting out.

An illustration
Picture California in the fall when there has been no rain and the streams are full of algae and murky; the water is not clear, but is brown and sludgy. This is how the body is when it doesn’t have enough water; it’s sluggish. It isn’t getting cleaned out. After the Spring rains, the water is flowing and it’s crystal clear. You can see to the bottom and there is no algae or sludge. You want to dip your hands in and drink. This is how you want the inside of your body to feel. Taking more water in your body is like a Spring stream.

Tips for drinking water:

• Fill four 16 oz bottles with water and leave on the counter, or use two quart bottles. Know that this is your daily allotment.
• Put 8 pennies or paper clips in your right pocket and transfer to the left pocket for every glass you drink throughout the day. Or use rubber bands around your water bottle. Any easy way to remember how much water you’ve consumed is helpful and will become habit in time.
• The recommended allotment is ½ your body weight in ounces. For a person who weighs 150 lbs: half of 150 is 75, so the allotment is 75 oz, or about 9 glasses of water. 8 is certainly a good amount to shoot for because many of us don’t even drink that much, but the truth is that that’s really not up to the recommendation. If you are currently only drinking two glasses of water and need to be drinking ten, do NOT go from two to ten all at once; it is too big a jump and will knock your electrolytes out of whack. Instead, start by adding two additional glasses each day, wait 7-10 days, then add two more until you are to your allotment.
• The only disadvantage of drinking extra water is that you have to pee a little more until your body gets used to the new norm. Initially when you start drinking more water it feels like you are in the bathroom every minute, but truthfully then your body gets used to, “oh, this is my water allotment” and your body adjusts. I’ve had clients tell me this; they didn’t believe me and they didn’t want to be in the bathroom all the time, but the body gets used to it.
• Try putting a little lemon juice or fresh lemon in the water to help alkalize the body.
• The caffeine in coffee is dehydrating. If you have a cup of coffee, know that you need to drink a glass of water to counteract the dehydrating properties of the coffee.

Benefits of drinking more water:

1. Increases brain function with more energy and clarity.
2. Removes toxins.
3. Improves back pain by hydrating the discs in between the vertebrae. If you think of the discs as sponges, it’s easier to see how water is needed to keep the sponges pliable so the spine can move more easily. Watch the video HERE for more information on how water can sometimes get rid of back pain.
4. Helps relieve headaches; dehydration is a common reason for headache.
5. Water helps arthritis. There are cases of arthritis pain disappearing as a result of drinking more water.
6. Fights against the flu and other respiratory diseases.
7. Raises your metabolic rate and improves your digestive system. If you are constipated, try drinking more water – it can work wonders!
8. Helps flush the kidneys and keep kidney stones away.
9. Water helps overcome intestinal problems.
10. It plays a fundamental role in strengthening your immune system.
11. The human body needs a neutral pH which is around 7 in order to function properly. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps maintain this balance.
12. Can contribute to weight loss.
13. Moisturizes and helps maintain the elasticity of your skin.