Hydration is Critical to Health
Your body is made up of about 60% water.
Water makes up 75% of your brain, 75% of your muscles, 22% of your bones, and 83% of your blood. The body requires water to maintain homeostasis and carry out numerous vital functions.
Water is critical for:
-to regulate body temperature.
-helping your body digest food and absorb nutrients.
-helping flush out waste.
-moistening oxygen for breathing, and
-lubricating your joints.
During exercise, the body loses water through perspiration. It is very important to remember that while participating in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to replace the fluid loss. You should consume water before, during, and after a workout or any physically demanding activity.
The American College of Sports Medicine advises that you should add 12 ounces of EXTRA water for every 30 minutes of exercise. If exercise is intense and lasts more than 1 hour, a sports drink can replace minerals and electrolytes that are lost through perspiration.
*Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife Howdy Health and the American College of Sports Medicine