Water!

Water is often overlooked when it comes to nutrition, but it is one of the most important parts of your diet. The big question is: How much water should I drink per day? The most common answer is the famous "8 glasses of water a day"! But there are variables that should be taken into consideration. For example, a 5 foot tall, 115 pound woman's needs would be very different from a 6 foot tall, 300 pound man's. Also, the needs of someone who is sedentary would differ from someone who runs 8 miles every day, as that person would perspire more.

The opposite side of hydration is dehydration. This is the condition in which one does not drink enough water to keep the body hydrated. Livestrong.com explains, "Getting enough water each day is important to avoid dehydration, which can cause headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and even unconsciousness in severe cases."

"You lose close to an additional liter, about four cups, of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements," states the Mayo Clinic's website. Livestrong's website goes on to say, "Since food typically accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, consuming two liters of water or other beverages a day in addition to your normal diet will typically replace your lost fluids".

 The benefits of drinking water are many. Here are just a few.

• Helps you lose weight by reducing your appetite
• Improves your mood because your body feels good
• Helps detoxify your body
• Helps with digestion and constipation
• Creates healthy skin
• Regulates body temperature
• Protects and moisturizes joints
• Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
• Moisturizes the air in our lungs
• Helps with metabolism

So how much water should you drink? You can aim for the 8 cups of water or there is another technique. They say to take your weight, divide it by 2, and that is the amount of water that you should drink in ounces. So if you are 200 pounds, divide that by 2, which equals 100. So you would try to drink around 100 ounces of water each day, which is about 12 cups. That may seem like a lot, but you must remember that you also consume water through the fruits, veggies, and other beverages like coffee or tea that you consume. Pop/soda does not count in this list. Livestrong's site says though, "If you drink enough water where you rarely feel thirsty and produce at least 1.5 liters, or about six cups, of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate."

So grab your water and drink up!