Water consumption is something most people struggle with. Most people are aware of the “drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day” rule, but unfortunately, that doesn’t apply to most people. It also never talks about how those 8 glasses should be drunk. Since our body is made up roughly of 60% water, a better rule is to drink 50% to 75% of our body weight in ounces per day.
Example: Your weight = 100lbs, Total water consumption per day = 50 to 75 ounces
As you can see by the example, the 64 ounces of recommended water intake per day is barely enough to keep a 100 pound person hydrated. Knowing this, how should we be drinking the 50% to 75% of our body weight in ounces? Our body can absorb between roughly 2 to 6 ounces of water every 30 minutes. That means if a person who weighs 100 lbs, drinks 5 ounces of water every 30 minutes, this would take 5 hours roughly to absorb the minimum amount of water needed. Someone weighing 200 lbs would take 10 hours. Remember that this does not take into account excretion of water through urination and sweating.
To help get better water consumption, get a water container that has ounces marked on the side, that is BPA free and preferably glass, to help track the amount of water consumption. Also, try and cut back on diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol. Following these tips will help you to be better hydrated, which will help you to better overall health.
by Travis Helmers, DC
