How much water should a person drink each day?

In Day 2 we learn some of the negative effects of not drinking enough water. Though we mentioned them a little bit in Day 1,Day 2 goes into more detail about what actually happens. Basically, it is explained that when our bodies don’t get the proper amount of water that they need to function, they go into a “rationing” mode. Our bodies are smartly designed because they then prioritize which organs should be chosen to receive the limited amount of water. According to Colbert, when the body is low on water it will first supply these 5 vital organs…

Brain
Heart
Lungs
Liver
Kidneys

how much water should you drink every day While this is great that our bodies do this for us, the downside is that many of the other non-vital organs are suffering.

Health benefits of drinking enough water each day

According to F. Batmanghelidj MD in Water for Health, for Healing, for Life being properly hydrated has many wonderful benefits…

Since water is the primary lubricant in the joint spaces, it helps prevent arthritis and back pain.
Water increases the efficiency of the immune system.
It prevents the clogging of arteries in the heart and brain, and helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Water can prevent ADD and improves our attention span.
It helps prevent memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Water reduces the effects of aging, making our skin smoother and a better luster.

Health conditions that are amplified by dehydration

If our bodies aren’t getting the proper amounts of water, they try to warn us with unpleasant symptoms. These are some clues that you may be dehydrated…

Joint Pain and Arthritis
High Blood Pressure
Digestion Problems
Asthma
Headaches
Dry Skin
Allergies
Heartburn

So how much water should you drink every day to prevent this?

In Day 1, it mentions that our bodies lose about 2 quarts of water a day through perspiration, urination, and exhalation. So if we aren’t drinking at least 2 quarts, we are probably putting our bodies in a dehydrated state.

2 quarts is equivalent to the standard recommendation of drinking 8, 8oz glasses of water each day. Colbert actually recommends drinking 2-3 quarts of filtered, preferably alkaline, water each day. For those of you trying to figure out how much 2-3 quarts is…