Why is it so important for you to drink water daily? Well, it has many purposes. It regulates your body temperature, keeps all of your body’s cells functioning properly, removes toxins from the body via sweat or through the kidneys, relieves fatigue, hangovers, and headaches, speeds up your metabolism, and promotes healthy skin. How do you know if you are dehydrated and need more water? The easiest way to determine is by the color of your urine. If it is a dark yellow then you are dehydrated. The clearer it is the better you are. Your optimal color is a clear lemon yellow color. Also, by the time you are thirsty the body is already dehydrated. So it’s important to drink water consistently throughout the day.

Did you know that drinking 12-16 ounces of cool water right when you wake up, on an empty stomach can jump-start your metabolism and boost fat loss? No? Well, now you do. So by drinking water first thing when you wake up on an empty stomach, it will flush out the toxins within the colon and helping it stay clean. By having a clean colon you can better absorb the nutrients from the foods you are about to consume and also help improve your digestive system.

Also, if you are prone to having heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, then drink some water. The acidity from all of these is heading up your esophagus from your stomach. This acid can be dangerous to your esophagus and even lead to ulcers. By drinking water, it pushes it down through the stomach, through the digestive tract and out of your system.

How much water should you drink a day? The average male should drink 3 liters a day and the average woman should drink 2 liters a day. Now the more athletic you are the more you will need to consume. Men who work out and exercise vigorously will drink 1 to 1.5 gallons of water a day. Women who train just as hard will drink about a gallon a day.

So put those sodas and juices down and drink water instead. So many more benefits to drinking water than anything else.