Hydration Facts
How important is water to your overall health?
Your brain is almost 75 % water. Severe dehydration from heat or cold stress has been shown to affect mental alertness. So drinking water is important for staying properly hydrated and may just help you keep your focus.
Body Water Percentage
Total Body Water Percentage (TBW%) is the total amount of fluid in the body expressed as a percentage of total weight. You continually lose water during the day from sweating, breathing and urinating and water levels are impacted by climate, activity levels, illness, medications and nutrition. Water is important to body functioning and is found in every cell, tissue and organ. Maintaining a healthy body water % improves overall health and helps ensure the body operates efficiently and avoids health conditions associated with dehydration such as achy joints and muscles, fatigue, dizziness and dry skin. Skeletal muscle contains more water than fat per pound of tissue, therefore athletes have higher body water percentage.
Normal Total Body Water Percentage Ranges
Average Activity Levels: Female: 50-55% Male: 60-65%
High Activity Level and Athletes: Female: 55-60% Male: 65-70%
Hydration tips for children:
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to remain hydrated. Encourage your kids to do the same.
• Active children lose 2 or more quarts of water daily so their bodies need to be continuously replenished.
• Drink 8-10 oz. of water every 15 minutes during a run and another 10-12 oz. immediately following your workout.
• An athlete can lose from 6-10 pounds, almost all of it water, during a 10K race in hot weather.
Your entire body needs water to work well
Water helps you digest food and then turn that food into energy. Water regulates your body temperature, keeps your mouth moistened, and maintains muscle tone. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body, and protects and cushions vital organs and joints.
Water plays a significant part in weight loss!
Water is great for dieters because it has no calories, acts as an appetite suppressant, and helps the body metabolize stored fat. 
Drinking enough water helps alleviate fluid retention, relieve constipation and flush impurities from the body.
Can you dehydrate in cold weather?
Perspiring in cold weather dehydrates your body, as does the simple act of breathing (every breath contains evaporated water). So even if you don’t feel as thirsty as you do when you are in warmer weather, keep drinking water to stay properly hydrated.
Healthy Tips
A healthy body is a well-hydrated machine. A healthy body is more than a well-oiled machine. It’s a well hydrated-machine. Why? Because human beings need water to survive and thrive. To keep your family and yourself going strong, try these two tips for maximum hydration and good health:
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
• Drink 8-10 oz. of water every 15 minutes during a workout.
• Calculate your water needs using this handy hydration calculator.
