Feeling quarantine funky? Check your water gauge.  As we adjust to being home and are more sensitive to how we are feeling daily, water intake has become very important. If you are feeling any of the funky feelings below, increase your water intake.

Adjust your water intake to the chart below and you will feel better. Yep, 2 liters of water a day, if you are between 150 and 200 pounds. This means WATER,  NOT juice, coffee, tea, soda (diet is more dehydrating), regular soda or alcohol!   

100 pounds	50 ounces
150 pounds	65 ounces
200 pounds	70 ounces

 1.Water is a main component of saliva. Saliva also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. It’s essential for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy. Saliva has important functions, including: flushing out waste from your body, regulating body temperature, helping your brain function.

2. Water regulates your body temperature. Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining your body temperature. Your body loses water through sweat during physical activity and in hot environments. Your sweat keeps your body cool, but your body temperature will rise if you don’t replenish the water you lose. That’s because your body loses electrolytes and plasma when it’s dehydrated.

3. Water protects your tissues, spinal cord, and joints. Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and lessen discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.

4. Water helps excrete waste through perspiration, urination, and defecation Your body uses water to sweat, urinate, and have bowel movements. Your kidneys are also important for filtering out waste through urination. Adequate water intake helps your kidneys work more efficiently and helps to prevent kidney stones.

5. Water helps maximize physical performance. Water hydration also affects your strength, power, and endurance. Negative effects of exercise in the heat without enough water can cause serious medical conditions, like decreased blood pressure.

7. Water aids in digestion.  Experts confirm drinking water before, during, and after a meal will help your body break down the food you eat more easily. This will help you digest food more effectively and get the most out of your meals.

8. Water helps with nutrient absorption in food breakdown, water also helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use.

9. Water improves blood oxygen circulation. Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health Water also helps you absorb important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food, which will increase your chances of staying healthy.

 10. Aids in cognitive function. Staying hydrated is key to staying in tip-top cognitive. Insufficient water can negatively impact your focus, alertness, and short-term memory or cognition.  Not getting enough water can also affect your mood. Dehydration may result in fatigue and confusion and a sense of anxiety.

Dehydration or hypohydration occurs when a loss of fluids, like water exceeds fluid intake. Even a minor change in fluid concentrations can result in dehydration. It is, therefore, necessary to drink, throughout the day or you may become chronically Bad Breath Is a Possible Warning Sign of Dehydration

Bad Breath: Saliva has antibacterial properties and dehydration can prevent your body from making enough saliva.

Dry or Flushed Skin: A lot of people think that people who get dehydrated are really sweaty, but in fact, as you go through various stages of dehydration, you get very dry skin?  When pinched, the skin of a dehydrated person may remain “tented” and take some time to return to its normal, flat appearance.

Alcohol is a major factor in dehydration. Consuming more than 1-7 drinks a week for women and 7-14 drinks a week for men could be a clear indication of chromic dehydration

Muscle Cramps Are a Dehydration Symptom. When your body loses enough fluid, it’s unable to cool itself off adequately. One common symptoms to look out for is muscle cramps, which can happen while exercising, particularly in hot weather.

Fever and Chills are symptoms of dehydration.  You may sweat profusely while your skin is cool to the touch. Fevers will worsen dehydration. The higher the fever, the more dehydrated you may become. Unless your body temperature decreases, your skin will lose its cool clamminess and then become hot, flushed, and dry to the touch. At this point, it’s important that you cool yourself down immediately.

Headaches are often the most common symptom of dehydration. Even  mild dehydration can cause a dehydration headache and  may trigger a migraine headache. Although various factors besides dehydration can cause headaches, drinking a full glass of water and continuing to sip more fluids during the day is an easy way to ease your pain if, in fact, dehydration is a culprit.

Now, go pour yourself a big glass of water enjoy the benefits.