Do you drink enough water? The chances are you don’t.

We each need 8 to 10 glasses of water every day depending on body mass, how much exercise we do and what climate we live in. But even so, most of us struggle to get enough water into our bodies.

Water is essential to get our bodies to work. Our bodies are made up of about 70% water. Our brains are made up of even more – around 77 %.

We can live for weeks without food but without water, we can only live a few days.

As off putting as it sounds, urine is a good measure of how hydrated your body is. Dark urine signifies dehydrated bodies. The optimal colour of urine is pale yellow.

Water is essential for general bodily functions. Water is necessary to not only digest food but also to carry around essential nutrients in the blood stream around the body to all of our organs.

It is important to replenish the bodily fluids that are lost due to sweating and water does just that.

As well as flushing out toxins and waste material in the body; the build-up of such toxins and waste in your body can lead to unwarranted illness and can cause harm to your organs.

The build-up of toxins can lead to fatigue, muscle aches, joint pains, and sinus congestion and is also related to many skin problems including eczema, acne, and bad breath.

Water can be consumed through various means. All drinks contribute to keeping your body hydrated to an extent. However, some drinks are much better for you than others.

Alcohol, for example, actually makes your body more dehydrated than hydrated. Furthermore, alcohol contributes to the build-up of toxins.

Coffee and tea are both considered a source of water. However, both contain caffeine which can cause jitteriness and nervousness in some people.

Even worse, coffee is a diuretic, which actually causes your body to increase the excretion of urine. Therefore this can reduce the volume of hydration in your body.

Fruit juices too are not the best source of hydration either. Fruit juices have very high sugar content. Squashes are also guilty of this, even if they are a more diluted sugar content.

Plain water is the best source of hydration. Of course, the people who enjoy drinking plain water are far and few between.

Adding a lime or lemon slice to water is a good, toxin and calorie free way of adding some flavour to a glass of water. Sparkling water too is an acceptable source of hydration, equalling the nutritional value of still water.

Understanding the importance of drinking water makes drinking more water and staying hydrated a more appealing endeavour. What are you doing to ensure you’re drinking enough water? Comment and let us know below!