Water: It makes up two-thirds of our body weight, so it must be very important to our health, right?

"Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day."
Have you ever wondered why eight? Can eight glasses be too much for you, but not enough for me?
Even nutritionists do not know where this rule of health comes from. A cynic might say "from the bottled water companies."
So what is the correct number of glasses per day?
Here's my take: Obviously we have to replace the water that we lose daily through perspiration, etc.
Water performs various functions in the body: it carries nutrients through the system, lubricates joints, transports waste, and keeps the skin supple. And that's just the short list. For example, the brain is about 85% water, so it follows that our clear-headed thinking requires a daily supply of fresh water.
But how much water? To begin to answer this question, let's look at the two extremes.
What happens if we do not drink enough water? Our bodies react quickly to dehydration. Generally, our heart rates go up, as well as our breathing rates, our body temperature rises as we perspire less, muscle cramps and headaches set in, then we get nauseous. These are not the only effects of dehydration, these are simply the most common.
But what happens if we drink too much water? Drinking too much water may lead to a condition in which the body's electrolyte balance is profoundly disturbed. Electrolytes in our bodies consist of various elements such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Our bodies require a subtle and complex balance between the various electrolytes found within our cells and outside of our cells. This balance is critical for nerve and muscle function.
Now it is easy to understand why water is so important to maintaining our good health. But the question remains: How can we each make sure that we are getting all the water that we need every day, but not too much?
Fortunately, I have an answer for you: It is your thirst mechanism. All healthy people get thirsty when they begin to get dehydrated. Quench your thirst and you can be sure that you are helping your body stay out of trouble. Instead of counting the glasses that you drink or forcing yourself to drink when you are not even thirsty, allow your thirst to inform you when to drink water and you can be certain that you will be drinking just the right amount of water for your individual needs each and every day.