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When was the last time you took a sip of water? If you have trouble remembering, chances are you may not be hitting the daily recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which are about 13 cups for men and 9 for women. (These requirements may vary depending on your activity level, the weather, any health conditions, and other factors, per the Mayo Clinic.)
Drinking plenty of water is one of the simplest ways to keep your body and mind working at their best. Per Harvard Health Publishing, water helps carry nutrients and oxygen through cells, aid digestion and prevent constipation, stabilize the heartbeat and blood pressure, regulate body temperature, and maintain your body’s electrolyte balance.
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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) a medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in a leg might be the most serious health risk you ve never heard of. These clots can break off and lodge in your lungs to form a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. Situations that can lead to a clot run from the commonplace like prolonged bed rest after surgery and long airplane flights to the less-common, like pregnancy and genetic blood clot disorders. If you have obesity, or are a smoker, your risk of DVT increases.
But there are steps you can take to minimize your risk read on to find out how.
How long she’s been dehydrated: Most of her life
Even though I am a health writer i.e., someone who understands the importance of staying hydrated and all the perks of drinking the recommended daily amount of liquids I do not drink enough water. (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that I aim for nine 8-ounce cups of fluid per day.) So, what comes between me and the holy health grail of an adequate number of fluid ounces of H
2O? A combination of laziness, lack of accountability, a failure to calculate just how much water is necessary, and no tools to track it. Let’s be real: Who has time to keep track of how many times they fill their water bottle per day?
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You know you need to stay hydrated for body and mind but why is it so important to get a certain amount?
Well, water makes up about 60 percent of the body, says New York City–based Jaclyn London, RD, head of nutrition and wellness at WW, and data from the U.S. Geological Survey, a government agency, backs that up.
Because it’s such a big part of your makeup, water is involved in a multitude of functions, says Ryan Andrews, RD, principle nutritionist and adviser at Precision Nutrition in Norwalk, Connecticut. For example, water dissolves and transports other substances around the body, assists in metabolic reactions, lubricates tissues like eyes and joints, regulates body temperature, provides minerals, and acts as a building material for cells.