I happen to think our friends over at Rolling Strong could not have picked a better first week health challenge for 2015 than they did with “Drink More Water”. Being that it is cold outside and snow is falling, you may ask why I think the beginning of January would be a good time to remember to drink more water? Why, wouldn’t the heat of summer be a better time to choose for the importance of drinking water? Nope...it is all too easy to remember to drink water with the blazing heat and dripping sweat serving as a constant reminder in the warmer months. I like that this weekly challenge takes place in the full swing of winter because many people do not realize that your body loses water even when you are not dripping out buckets of sweat!
A University of New Hampshire study (http://www.unh.edu/news/news_releases/2005/january/sk_050128cold.html) found that cold weather could actually increase the risk of dehydration. You wouldn’t normally think that you can actually lose water through breathing in cold weather, but when you think of being able to see your breath vaporize as it leaves your mouth in the cold, it starts to kind of make sense. Also, you can still sweat in the cold from wearing layers of warm clothing and it will evaporate fast in cold, dry air. This study also takes a look into the body’s chemical reactions to the cold that make the body not “feel” as thirsty. I found it a very interesting read for anyone who thinks you only need water when it’s hot outside!
The benefits of drinking lots of water are many, but it is up to you to make sure you are getting the proper amounts in your body. According to a Rolling Strong post I saw for their challenge this week, your body requires half your weight in water intake! Whaaaaaat!!!...Just kidding! Actually that previous statement is partially correct. If you take your body weight in pounds and divide it by 2, you get the amount of ounces you should be drinking in a day.
The diehard caffeine junky in you might be screaming out “but there’s water in soda and coffee” by this point and time. If you are thinking that, you are correct! What you may not realize though, is that caffeine is counter-productive in the process of rehydrating your body. Energy drinks and tea can have the same counter-productive effects as well. Try replacing just one or two of your daily caffeinated drinks with water and you may have 
more energy, feel better, and have better health for doing so. According to another Rolling Strong post I found, water helps flush the bodies toxins out, can increase your energy, is a zero calorie appetite suppressant, gives you supple healthier feeling skin, and prevents side effects of fatigue. Also, you are not going to get a sugar or caffeine “buzz and crash” feeling from drinking good old H2O!