Why Michelle Obama Wants You to Drink More Water

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First Lady Michelle Obama has planted a garden at the White House, shown us that she can do a mean set of push-ups (hence those incredibly toned arms), and now she is on a mission to get us all to Drink Up

Water is vital to our body's health, since every system in your body depends on water. Among other duties, water carries nutrients to the cells, lubricates the joints, and helps us release toxins. 

How much water our bodies need every day actually depends on a variety of factors, such as our age, our activity level, the weather where we live, and our health. We have always heard that eight glasses of water daily is the standard, but how many of us are actually doing that? 

I don't know about you, but I have had many days where I have looked up at the clock, only to realize that I have been sitting at a desk for the last eight hours without having anything to drink. We may have swapped the sugary drinks for water in my home, but you still have to actually drink the water to get its benefits. 
 It turns out that we Americans are a fairly dehydrated bunch. According to the CDC, only 22% of adults in this country drink 8 cups of water or more. The majority of adults (44%) drink fewer than 4 cups of water per day and 7% consume no water per day. We are passing those habits right along to our children too. The campaign's press release states that the CDC has found that about one quarter of kids in this country do not drink any water during their day. 

 Having made it her mission as the nation's First Lady, Michelle Obama has spent her time in the White House encouraging Americans to lead healthier lives. Drink Up is a new initiative from her Let's Move campaign and the Partnership for a Healthier America. 

Though some in the media have questioned the need for such a campaign, my feeling is that any reminder about healthy living is a good one. The CDC report found that those who drink less than 4 cups of water per day are also less likely to participate in moderate physical activity and eat fewer than 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily. All she is asking is that we pay attention to how much water we consume, and those who are not drinking enough water can start by adding one more glass a day. We can all do that, can't we?