Water is your body’’s principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every ’system in your body depends on water. Water is far more important than food and the human body can go longer without nutrition than fluids.When dealing with a limited water supply, stick to a high-carbohydrate intake, as it requires less water to digest.
How much water should you drink each day?Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.
Several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.
Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the “8 x 8 rule”