I am willing to bet that almost everyone reading this article has been told at one point or another in their life that they should be drinking X amount of water a day to be healthy. While I am not saying that whatever amount you were told to drink is wrong, I will tell you that different people need different amounts of water.

The younger you are, the more water your body is made up of; the percentage of water that makes up a baby's body (around 75 percent) is more than that of someone in their 50s (55-60 percent).

Regardless, everybody needs water. Whether you drink it from a bottle, a cup or get some from your fruits and veggies, water is essential for several reasons; here are just a few.

1. Helps to carry oxygen to your cells

You know that stuff that you breathe in through your lungs? Yeah--Oxygen. Water is a big component of your blood, and your blood is what carries oxygen to your tissues and organs. Without water, the oxygen and nutrients you need would not be readily accessible.

2. Regulates your temperature

You know how frustrated you get when that pot of water on the stove just will not boil? Well, the same properties apply to your body. Water has a high heat capacity, which means that it takes a whole lot to change its temperature. Your body maintains a normal temperature on a day-to-day basis (textbook temp is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius), and the water in your body helps to maintain that temperature so all of your working parts can function correctly. Extreme temperatures in either direction hinder your body's ability to work correctly.

3. Fight off illnesses

Your body's immune system is made up of a lot of water. Water is a key component of lymph, which works to fight off illnesses; without enough water, our bodies would not be able to get rid of those unwanted pathogens that get us all sick.

4. Digestion

Poop. There, I said it. Go ahead, and get your giggles out now because it is actually a serious subject. Without water, your digestive system will not function properly. If you have ever been constipated you know firsthand the pain that comes with not being able to poop. Constipation can also lead to a lot of other problems in your body, so drink your water and keep everything moving the way it is supposed to!

Dehydration will wreak havoc on your body, so drink more water now to keep bad things from happening!

Drink up!