Water is a main source of energy for the body. Waiting until you get thirsty is a mistake, because thirst is a sign your energy is becoming depleted. No one lets their car's gas tank get completely empty before they fill it, yet many people allow this to happen to their bodies by waiting to drink water. Don't let your body stall on the side of the road! Drink water regularly to keep your body hydrated, and your energy levels at their peak.
Most people don't consume enough water because they wait until they are thirsty. This is a philosophy perpetuated by the National Academy of Sciences, among others. This theory has been passed down for over 100 years, because during a time when research in dehydration and thirst was being studied by the French, American physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon dismissed this research, claiming through rather gruesome experiments on dogs, that thirst was only a the condition of having a dry mouth.
By waiting until our mouths are dry, we are thirsty. This signal is used when the body fluids are depleted. Dehydration is a serious problem, especially for the elderly. After age 20, our bodies become less and less aware of the sensation of thirst, and become continuously dehydrated. By age 70, the elderly can become obviously thirst and totally dehydrated, and be unaware that this condition greatly affects their health. A scientific experiment was conducted where a group of elderly people were asked not to consume any water for a 24 hour period. The result? When water was made available, many people still did not feel thirsty. Water was left for them, and they would not consume the water. However when young people participated in the same experiment, they quickly corrected the thirst problem and immediately drank the water provided for them.
The easy solution to the dehydration problem, is to drink water regularly throughout the day. The average person drinks about two quarts of water a day, but they need four quarts. Two quarts are consumed through the water content in food. The body needs four quarts of water to produce a healthy two quart flow of urine. This maintains good kidney function and health. If urine is colorless, you are properly hydrated. When it becomes yellow, or even orange, the body is dehydrated and a part of the body is suffering for it. Organs that become dehydrated cease to function properly. Waiting to drink water until you are thirsty can lead to health complications, even premature death.
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