Other than smoothies, I drink almost exclusively water. On rare occasions I’ll have some organic juice or use my home juicer.

Most people don’t drink enough water. I think water in place of other beverages, and more water in general would probably benefit the health of many people. Hydration is important. Water helps expel toxins and waste from the body more quickly. Water helps with blood flow. Water is amazing.

I started drinking more water after coming to the conclusion that dehydration was one trigger for my liver condition, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), flared up, causing me abdominal pain and general malaise for a day up to a week. It make sense. If the body is dehydrated, fluids in the body will tend to become thicker. In a condition that can lead to bile turning sort of sludge-like potentially blocking the bile ducts, anything that thickens the bile isn’t good. Dehydration isn’t the only thing I have to worry about. Eating a lot of fat promotes bile production and flow, which exacerbates any thickening and blockages.

When I first figured the link out, I tried to just drink more water throughout the day. Without anything specific to remind me, I’d occasionally get wrapped up in something and forget. A couple minor PSC flares later and I made a more specific hydration plan.

I start every day with a 1 quart glass of water shortly after waking. I’ll usually mix something in it. I’ve done 1 tsp raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I currently add 1 tsp rosehip powder, which is an excellent vitamin C source. It doesn’t dissolve, so requires mixing and swirling to keep in suspension. I’ve also previously added bee pollen, which is one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet.

Almost immediately after drinking my big glass of water I can feel it start to wash over my system. I don’t always feel so great when I wake up, but I always feel better after drinking my water.

After my morning quart of water, I usually have another quart of plain water over the rest of the day. I also have several cups of water in a smoothie during the day, and a lot of high water content fruit.

On days that I run, my water intake can reach 1-2 gal total per day, depending on distance, elevation gain and temperature.

One quart of water may seem like a lot, but it’s really not. You’ve just been sleeping, hopefully around 8 hours or more, without taking in any liquids. You still sweat in your sleep. If you got up to pee in the night or went first thing after waking, that’s more liquid lost from your system. You need to replenish the liquids your body goes through.

If you’re not used to drinking that much water at one time, you may need to work up to it. Try using a 1 quart glass, jar or other container, so you can get used to the amount. If you have trouble drinking the whole thing, just have as much as you can comfortably drink in a short period of time. If that’s only 8 of 32 ounces, that’s fine. Try to drink the rest over the next hour if possible.

You will probably have to pee afterwards, likely within an hour. So, if you won’t have access to a restroom when needed, such as during a commute, try just 8 oz right after waking and then the rest once you have better access to facilities.

Pee is great for checking your hydration too. Urine color can tell you whether you’re drinking enough water. Light yellow to nearly clear is well hydrated, dark orange is very dehydrated. There can be other things that change urine color, so it’s not a perfect test. Things like medications, certain medical conditions and some foods might affect urine color.

I pee fairly often since I’ve increased my water intake. It was kind of annoying at first, but I’m OK with it now. In general, I feel better when I stay hydrated, so it’s an easy trade off to make.

You can drink too much water, though. A condition called hyponatremia is caused by an electrolyte imbalance, low sodium levels, often from drinking too much water. In serious cases, it can be fatal. Over-hydration cause hyponatremia is more common in endurance sports. To avoid it during a marathon, ultra or Ironman, stay on top of electrolyte replacement. As for day to day, hyponatremia is probably not something to worry too much about.

Drink more water!