"You're Not Sick, You're Just Thirsty": How Hydration is the Key to Feeling Better
Yes, I know, you're constantly being bombarded by magazine articles, social media lifestyle gurus, and probably your overly health-conscious friend that you should be drinking more water than you are. Yes, it definitely could be true that you're currently more dehydrated than you think -- are you drinking half your body weight in oz of water each day, plus 16 oz for a) each 45 minutes you exercise, and b) each caffeinated beverage you drink? If not, then you're probably dehydrated. The average male has ~60% of his body weight made up of water, and the average female has ~55% of her body weight made up of water (source: http://www.anaesthesiamcq.com/FluidBook/fl2_1.php). Now granted there are person-to-person variations of these figures that depend entirely on your body composition (more muscle mass = higher water content, more fat = lower water content), but the big picture is that being properly hydrated is incredibly important. Our body uses water to remove waste and b...
