How much Water Should you Drink?

Its NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH!!!

Did you know that if your kidney's begin to fail, the typical option is to wait until they are failing severely "enough" to then begin dialysis? Don't neglect your kidneys and urinary bladder!!

How MUCH water should YOU be drinking?!

• Drink a minimum of half of your body weight in ounces daily (i.e. 140lb person = 70oz of water)

• Suggestion: Drink a quart of water in the first 15 minutes of waking in the morning! You just dehydrating yourself, mouth open, all night long!!

• This means water with NOTHING else added to it.

• So tea, coffee, kombucha, vitamin waters or juices don't count as "water"

When do you NEED to drink even MORE water?

• If you drink coffee, caffeinated tea, or energy drinks

• Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you

• Coffee and Black Tea in excess also create a MORE ACIDIC internal environment which eventually may be more taxing to your kidneys

• So increase your water, 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of caffeinated beverage

• If you drink herbal teas

• You may have noticed that you tend to urinate more frequently after drinking herbal teas

• So increase your water intake, because herbal teas can increase diuresis (leading to dehydration)

• If you live in a dry climate you may need to increase your water intake, and this can fluctuate per season

• Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, etc...

• When the humidity is low you may feel hot but not experience much evidence of sweating, however you are still loosing fluids

• Be especially mindful in the summer