Water

The U.S. National Research Council recommends 1 mL of water for every calorie you eat. So according to this guideline, a person who eats 2,000 calories should be drinking 2,000 mL.

More water is needed during exercise and in hot weather. A rough guideline—for every hour of exercise, drink an extra quart of water.

An article published in the October 5, 2004 issue of The Washington Post reported that cities across the United States, such as Philadelphia, Boston, and New York City, were manipulating the results of tests used to detect lead in water, violating federal law and putting millions of Americans at risk by giving them a false sense of security.

Drinking water can be contaminated with heavy metals, microorganisms, chlorine, fluoride, and other impurities.

• You can improve the quality of drinking water by filtering with a reverse osmosis system, charcoal, ceramic, or other high quality filter.
• Check bottled water—some types are not spring water but actually purified water from the same source as tap water.
• Store water in glass containers. Avoid the plastic water bottles you find at the store. If you do drink water from a soft, clear water bottle, do not reuse it.
• Avoid drinking distilled water regularly, because it can deplete your body of needed minerals

There are reasonably priced water filters on the market, such as Brita or PUR.