Water plays the most important role of all the things that we take into our bodies from the external world and many Americans actually live in a state of chronic dehydration without even realizing it.

Besides making up about 60% of the body and being required by every cell in the body to function, it is also the solvent which allows us to absorb vital nutrients, like electrolytes and glucose and distribute them to our cells where they are used to make energy. Water is essential for digestion, lubricates the joints and improves blood circulation, helps regulate body temperature, flushes toxins out of the body, helps cells maintain their electrical properties, and many other vital functions. We can go up to eight weeks without ingesting food, but only mere days without water.

Just like with everything, individual requirements vary from person to person based on bio-individual needs, but there are a few good rules of thumb that may help you get the most from the water that you are drinking:

- Most importantly, drink clean water!

o The environmental working group has shown that there are as many as 38 low level contaminates (such as fluoride, disinfectants, arsenic, lead, medical waste, birth control, antibiotics, agricultural run-off, nitrates etc…) in our tap water. Berkey filters makes a great product that removes 99.99% of harmful pathogens from water, and another great way to get water is to go to find a spring and look for a local spring to visit and bottle your own water (preferably in glass for storage).

- Add a pinch of unrefined Himalayan pink sea salt to your water

o Adding a bit of sea salt that is high in mineral content to your water is a great way to increase the absorption of that water through electrolytes and also adds trace minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium.

- Drink the bulk of your water away from your meals

o The idea behind this is to avoid diluting your stomach acid, thereby negatively impacting digestion.

- Don’t drink too much water

o Consuming too much water can be just as harmful to your body as not getting enough. Most people should not be drinking more than a gallon per day, and it is most beneficial to drink water in small sips rather than chugging large amounts all at once.