Water–Are You Drinking Enough?

by Hardly Waite, Gazette Senior Editor

Here are some facts from a brief article in The Compleat Mother, one of our favorite magazines (#64, Winter, 2001).

• In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
• 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.  (It is likely that this applies as well to half the world’s population.)
• Even mild dehydration slows down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
  

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• In a University of Washington study, a single glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters.
• The #1 trigger of daytime fatigue is lack of water.
• Research indicates that eight to ten glasses of water per day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
• Drinking five glasses of water per day decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%,  the risk of breast cancer by 75%, and the risk of bladder cancer by 50%.

Another authority says: “Water is also the best medicine, both inside and outside the body. The finest prevention for malaise (after an evening of excess consumption!) is a pint of water before bed.”

So, drink up!