A drop of 2% in our body's water levels can cause trouble focusing, reading small print (like on this screen) and problems doing math. That is because our brain is 95% water, and even mild dehydration can cause problems with the basic electrical functioning of the neurons. It can also cause fatigue, hunger, and causes problems with metabolism regulation.

According to www.freedrinkingwater.com about 75% of us (and by us I mean Americans) suffer from at least mild dehydration most of the time. Really? I have a tap, right there in my kitchen. I am a firm believer in drinking water and lots of it. But I am probably a little dehydrated as well. Right now I am thirsty, which is a sure sign of dehydration.

So, why, as a free country where water is readily available, do we avoid it so strenuously? We'd rather have a sugary drink, or flavor, of some kind. Some of us persist on coffee alone, or soda alone, while rarely allowing water to pass our lips unless there is absolutely no other choice.

Some people cite pollution. Others cite the cost of "clean water". These two arguments amount to the same thing. Some state they simply don't like it. "Why should I hydrate with water when I can drink Gatorade and hydrate just as well?"

The truth is, when you drink sugary liquids, it takes water to process the calories, which makes many of those liquids dehydratingas well as adding unnecessary calories to your diet. No wonder Americans have trouble keeping their weight down!

We not only need to drink more water, we need to make sure our water supplies stay clean. A great site (an fun to explore) regarding the necessity of clean water (and the methods we must employ to keep it that way) is Waterlife, about the Great Lakes and the terrible pollution causing one of the major water supplies for the eastern half of the United States to disappear.