If you have read any health magazines, or even health-related chats in glossy magazines, you’ll know that we’re constantly being bombarded with facts and figures. Are you supposed to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day now, or is it seven? Is it more? The numbers are constantly changing! Quite frankly, it’s very confusing.

The thing is provided you’re making steps towards increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you’re doing something good, and you should continue to do that. The figures also continue when it comes to how much water we should be drinking every day.

Again, the advice is always on the move, but how much water really is enough?

To answer that question, we need to look at why we need to drink water in the first place.

Basically, our bodies are made up of around 60% water, and we lose a lot of that throughout the day. This can be through sweating, peeing, and other bodily functions. To help keep us healthy, focused, and to keep our energy levels up, we need to avoid dehydration. We do that by putting back what we have lost – drinking more water to replenish those stocks.

The numbers are always shifting up and down a little, but the general rule of thumb is that you should drink around 2 litres of water per day. If you want to break that down into different measurements, that means about half a gallon, or 8 x 8oz glasses. Many specialists quote the ‘rule of 8’, regarding those eight glasses, thinking it is easier to remember.

Most of us only really drink when we’re thirsty, but when you get to the point of thirst, your body is already a little low on water stocks. Instead, you should drink steadily and regularly throughout the day, to keep your water levels up. There are many benefits to this too. If you drink your recommnded amount of H2O every day you’ll feel more energised, you’ll be able to focus and concentrate much beter, and you’ll notice that over time your skin improves. Dryness is gone, a brighter complexion appears, and your hair too, that gets a glossier shine.

Basically, water is the elixor of life in more ways than one!

But, what if you don’t like the taste of boring, plain old water? The goods news is that it doesn’t just have to be water, it can be tea, coffee (deffeinated), fruit juice, flavoured water. This doesn’t include alcohol and fizzy drinks however.

So, if you’ve been confused about those health-related facts and figures, you’re now in the know. Two litres of the wet stuff per day, and your health will thank you for it.