How much water should I drink per day?

One of the first areas of nutrition everyone should focus on and is easy for us to change is that of water intake.

Our requirements for water intake will vary widely depending on our activity levels, environment (heat), size and gender. A good baseline equation that I first learnt from Paul Chek was your body weight in kg x 0.033 = litres of water to be consumed throughout the day. Thus an 80kg male would require around 2.5litres per day.

Water Consumption Advice

• Drink 1-2 glasses of water 15-30mins before each meal you eat in the day. This not only helps increase your hydration levels but also stimulates a hormone called motilin which can aid digestion. Also by having it before your meal and not during or directly after you also help prevent the dilution of important digestive enzymes and acids that help you break down your food.
• Consume an additional 1litre of water per day if you are exercising intensely.
• General dehydration symptoms include fatigue, headaches, dry mouth, loss/gain of appetite and dark coloured urine. If any of these are occurring drink 2 large glasses of water and see if symptoms improve. Often thirst response is mistaken for hunger so dehydration can lead to overeating in some circumstances

The correct water intake can be crucial in the clearance of waste substances from the body so is crucial in terms of detoxification as well as ensuring that all cells in our body are able to function at their most optimal.