When Miranda Lovato isn't hydrated, she feels groggy and her muscles become cramped.
"If I'm at school in the building where my college is, I don't drink water," the landscape architecture senior said. "I try to when I'm at work — I drink four or five glasses when I'm there."
Diane Fischer, a registered dietitian at Sparrow Health System, said it's important to drink about eight glasses of fluids per day, as Lovato's side effects are common among those who don't drink enough.
The amount of fluids you should consume depends on factors such as outside temperature and your activity level, Fischer said. The Lipton Healthy Beverage Guidelines suggest that men consume up to 13 8-ounce servings of water a day and up to nine for women.
But you don't have to drink only water to get eight glasses of fluids per day, Fischer said. The Lipton Healthy Beverage Guidelines recommends drinking no more than four servings of unsweetened coffee per day and no more than eight servings of unsweetened tea per day.
"There are some myths (that say) you can't drink coffee or tea because it's a diuretic," Fischer said. "It is to a certain degree, but it's not like you lose all that fluid.
"You're still getting positive amount of fluids. Of course, water's going to be the best because it doesn't have calories and caffeine, and it's good for you. But some people don't like drinking water."
To ensure she's drinking enough, Fischer places a large glass of water on her desk at work and paces herself throughout the day.
If you don't like water, she suggests drinking cold bottled water, which might be a little more refreshing. Or, she says, putting a slice of lemon or lime in a glass of ice water can help. Flavored waters also are an alternative, as long as they're non-caloric, she said.
"You are what you drink," Fischer said. "So many people drink juice and sports drinks and think they're doing something healthy but are unaware (of the calories). If someone likes juice, take a half cup of those juices and dilute it with sparkling water."
Up to two servings of milk should be consumed per day, according to Lipton's Daily Healthy Beverage Guidelines. Fischer recommends, especially for youth and college students, drinking plenty of calcium-rich drinks to avoid osteoporosis later in life.
Some people aren't drinking enough milk and water, she said, because they're being replaced by caloric drinks such as soda.
Pre-law sophomore Lauren Seebold said she often drinks pop instead of water.
"I drink maybe, like, two glasses of water per day," she said. "My favorite drink is milk, but if I'm really thirsty, I'll drink water."
But Fischer said you shouldn't wait until thirst hits before drinking water, as you could already be dehydrated by that point. Looking at the color of your urine is an excellent indicator of whether you're consuming enough liquids, she said.
If it's a dark yellow shade, you're not getting enough to drink. But if it's a diluted, light color, you're getting plenty of fluids.
Getting fluids can even help with weight management, she said, as sometimes thirst can be disguised as hunger. Staying hydrated can prevent overeating.
In fact, drinking plenty of liquids impacts all aspects of your health and appearance.
"Water is flushing the waste products out of our system," she said. "Fluids can affect how you feel. People usually look better and feel better when they're hydrated. There's a saying with senior citizens that they're confused and disoriented. But give them water, and they turn into a person again."
