How Much Water Should You Drink

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Water is necessary for the human body to function properly. It is important for everything from regulating body temperature to helping the functioning of the kidneys and liver to keeping tissues and joints moist. It is so essential that humans can only live a few days without drinking water.

How much water should you drink each day? The Mayo Clinic and the Institute of Medicine recommend approximately 13 cups (3.1 liters) for men and 9 cups (2.2 liters) for women. That does include water as well as other fluids from foods and beverages. People do get about 20% of their needed fluids from food. This recommendation is only slightly more than the well-known suggestion of 8 cups.

Pregnant and breast-feeding women need increased amounts of fluids, sometimes up to 13 cups (3.1 liters). While infants do not need water until at least six months, children do. How much water should you drink if you are a child? Children need approximately 4 to 8.5 cups (1 to 2 liters) depending on their age, weight, and environment.

Activity and environment also have an effect on the amount of water needed. Sweating caused by exercise or warm weather will increase the amount of water a person needs. While it is rare, it is possible to drink too much water. The condition of hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) primarily affects endurance athletes like marathon runners. Dehydration, when your body does not have enough fluid to function properly, is a more common condition. Young children and the elderly are especially at risk.

While people in the developed world generally have water right in their homes, millions of people in Kenya do not have access to the safe water they need. They have to walk a great distance to collect water, and this work is often performed by women and children. They do not have the luxury to wonder how much water should you drink, and instead must worry about having safe water at all.

Camp Ohana Foundation has made it a priority to makes sure children and their families in this part of western Kenya have clean water. At first, we brought in 2,500 gallons of water each week for human and agricultural uses. Then in 2013, we constructed a well that provides clean water to about 200 families (1,200 people).

To help keep the well providing water to children, please contact us to make a donation.

By

Amos Balongo
Chairman and CEO
Camp Ohana Foundation
October 8th 2014