Our body is made up of about 60% - 75% water. As the water is used by the body, it is flushed out through the kidneys or the skin or other avenues. So doesn't it make sense that we need to consume that much per day to keep the body fueled?

In fact we will die within 3-4 days without it. But we typically just think of it just as a thirst quencher. It is really much, much more.

Water helps remove the toxins from our body whether from our food, the air we breathe, the medicines we take. Lack of water means toxin buildup, which means disease set in.

It also means the body needs to go to "Plan B" for toxin management. It will wrap the toxin in fat and store it in your body in an effort to protect you. Fat doesn't always come from eating high calories!

You need water to help make enzymes used to digest your food. It's best to drink 8 ounces of water about 30 minutes before a meal to begin the enzyme production. With a dehydrated body, you don't produce the necessary enzymes, digestion is impaired and stomach problems and constipation develop. This increases the impacted waste in your intestines which adds to your weight.

Messages are sent by the brain throughout the body via an electrical current. Water is the carrier of that current. Without water, the messages the brain sends don't get received. We are then led to believe the problem is in the part of the body not functioning, when in reality, that part of the body just didn't get the memo that it should be doing something.

Nutrients can only be delivered to the cells via water. Without water, malnutrition results and disease is soon to follow. Your body may send a signal that you are lacking nutrients and you eat more to satisfy this need.

Inside the cell, water helps with the metabolism process which creates energy. A lack of water can actually reduce your energy. Lack of energy means lack of activity and exercise.

Water is used for all the cell, tissue and organ regeneration in our body. When there isn't enough water, new construction within the body is put on hold. If you experience any part of your body thinning and weakening, like blood vessels, intestinal walls, stomach lining, skin on your hands and face as you age... this could be as simple as a dehydration problem.

According to Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, author of Your Body's Many Cries for Water, chronic dehydration can lead to fatigue, pain, sleep disorders, allergies, asthma, overeating, excess body weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, angina pain, stress & depression, lower back and neck pain, rheumatoid arthritis pain, hiatal hernia, false appendicitis pain, ulcers, headaches, and colitis.

If you experience any of these illnesses try hydrating your body with water and see if those symptoms are alleviated. Won't that beat out the little purple pill!

If you aren't used to drinking 60-75% of your weight in ounces of water, start by gradually increasing your current intake 8 ounces per day until you reach your target. You could actually create an imbalance in the other direction by consuming too much too fast.

A way to know you are getting enough: after the urinating the first time after waking up, your urine should be colorless and odorless for the remainder of the day.

Here are some guidelines for maximizing the utilization of water in your body.

1.Drink your water at room temperature; no ice cubes. According to traditional Chinese medicine, cold drinks disrupt the proper flow of energy in the body and "shocks" the body. The only exception to this is if someone is truly dehydrated.

2.About 30 minutes before a meal, drink 8 oz. of water.

3.Do not drink water or anything else during your meals. If this seems impossible, try to limit it to 4 ounces.

4.Don't drink any water for an hour after your meal.

5.Outside of your meals, be sure to drink water every 30 minutes; don't drink it all at once just a few times per day.

6.If you drink 4 oz. every half hour & 8 oz. 30 minutes before a meal, you should be able to drink 100 oz. in a day.

7.Drink pure clean water. I live in the country and we have well water. I can't get past the smell of chlorine in the city water when I am in town. We don't want to add toxins when we're trying to clean them out! Consider a reverse osmosis unit in your house.

Some tips on making this easier in the beginning.

1.Fill a gallon jug (128 oz.) with the amount of water you need to drink each day.

2.Squeeze a full fresh lemon in it. This helps clean out the liver and balance the body's pH.

3. Mix 1 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice with 7 ounces of water. This will help eliminate wastes from the lympahtic system and clean up cellulite!

3.Use a cup and mark a 4 oz. line.

4.Set a reminder on your computer, your watch, a small timer to go off every 30 minutes.

5.If you spend your day in more than one place (home, car, office), divide the water into a container for each location so you don't forget.

6. Juice, tea, soda, coffee, and other drinks do not count toward water intake...sorry! If you are drinking water instead of these other beverages, you may also be lowering your caloric intake...another weight loss bonus.

There you go! Drink water and watch the weight come off more easily. You also might find some health issues clear up as well. How simple is that!