If I had to count the number of times I’ve heard someone say, “drink plenty of water,” I’d be a billionaire by now, and that’s not an exaggeration. Staying hydrated is a crucial part of proper body function, primarily since our bodies consist of 75% water as infants to 55% water in the elderly. We lose water as we age, so taking in an adequate amount of water aids in reducing inflammation, appropriate kidney function, fights fatigue, and prevents kidney stones. These are just a few of the benefits of
drinking the right amount and type of quality water. When you’re participating in some form of detox, drinking enough water becomes even more critical because it aids in ridding your body of toxins. But in addition to this, staying hydrated during a detox also aids in and prevents the following:
- Aids in: Improved memory and elevated mood.
- Prevents: Daytime fatigue. A lack of water is the number one cause of this.
- Aids in: Helping your kidneys to filter waste from the blood.
- Prevents: Constipation.
- Aids in: Flushing unwanted fat cells (yes! fat cells!) from our bodies.
- Prevents: Weight gain.
- Aids in: Cellular energy production.
So, how much water should you be drinking a day? It is recommended that you drink at least half of your body weight in ounces in water. For example, if a woman weighs 150 pounds, she should drink at least 75 ounces of water per day. However, if you’re an active woman, according to WebMD you may want to add 15-30 ounces to that to compensate for the water lost during exercise.
You can also do fun things like adding lemon, lime, strawberries, cucumbers, and mint to your water to give it a little zing and extra detox booster. Speaking of detox boosters, many people start their mornings by drinking 32-ounces of warm lemon water to aid in flushing out or ridding their bodies of toxins. Detoxing from food, sugar, caffeine, or whatever it is you’re detoxing from can be stressful, and although water doesn’t take the place of the cookies, wine, or coffee that you’re giving up momentarily, it makes the process easier by aiding your body throughout the process.