“Hi! I am your waiter. May I start you off with a beverage?”

A variety of decisions are printed on a glossy menu before you; soda: fruit juice, soda mixed with fruit juice, tea, coffee, sweet tea and iced coffee…

What about water? When was the last time you had a nice, tall glass of water? With the glistening condensation running down the sides, the ice just waiting to attack your face, and even the puny bendy straw, this reservoir is all for you. To top it off, it’s free.

Water has and always will be an organism’s most valued resource. In the desert, cacti plants store water beneath their prickly shields. Mammals, such as bears, follow rivers when journeying to other forest habitats. In several Middle Eastern and African countries, specifically Ethiopia, water is so limited due to drought that inhabitants of these primitive areas collect water from severely shallow water sources. Often, these sources are not clean.

“Water helps regulate blood pressure” and promotes “the production of urine” says honors biology and anatomy teacher Ms. Sarah Hamilton. Without water, we cannot survive; however, without clean water, we cannot live. Third world communities consume water from unsanitary and water-borne disease-ridden areas. As a result, health concerns such as irregular blood pressure or urinary infections are incomparable to the illnesses faced by the third world inhabitants. Typhoid fever and cholera, as well as related diseases such as malaria and dysentery, are severe killers of residents in water-scarce communities. Organizations such as The Water Project and Water.org are doing their part to engage the public not only on a global sustainable water supply, but on the cleanliness and value of water. The current projects these organizations are involved in and how they are working to save the world can be seen at the organizations’ websites.

According to a 2005 UNICEF study, approximately, 4,000 children die every day because they do not have access to an adequate supply of clean water. Since then, that number has only increased.

Marc Guzman and Jordyn Huberman are both Olympic Heights freshman and involved in afterschool activities. “Water fuels the body” posits Guzman, a sousaphone player in the marching band. Huberman, a golfer, underscores Guzman’s claim by adding “water is important to stay healthy” and “it helps keep the body hydrated.” Drink up before you get thirsty; if one cannot remember the last time they had a drink of water, the dehydration has already begun.

“Staying hydrated is essential to everyday life,” expounds junior, Jonathan Lopez, “you won’t faint!”

So what happens when you become dehydrated anyway? First, recall the last time you had a decent gulp of water. Depending on how distant that point is may determine the severity level of the body’s dehydration. Severe sluggishness and confusion occur first; the body starts to lose energy and easy tasks become more difficult. Next, the organ that is smart enough to recognize the water shortage even before you physically see it – the brain – begins to suffer a migraine. Pain behind the ears, throbbing near the temples, dizziness and nausea are all signs of a migraine; as the intensity grows, so will the body’s temperature. If you begin to see small black dots, feel like the walls are closing in, and/or acquire tunnel-vision, sit down immediately. To prevent the headache and to save you from fainting in class, ask yourself, “When was your last bubbla break?”

In this next play, sports drinks certainly are a thirst quencher, but seconds after the bottle is left on the sidelines, you need another sip. Gatorade has a great taste; however, huddle up and look at the ingredients. Within the first five is dextrose; an addicting artificial sugar processed from the starch form of corn. Gatorade gets into real grit with sucrose acetate isobutyrate – which adds unnecessary calories to most sports drinks – as well as Yellow 6, an artificial coloring. Arguably, Gatorade is beneficial because of its electrolyte content but tacks on a game-changing load of carbohydrates; these eventually turn into sugar and, if not burned off, fats.

Still love the rush? Get your energy fix while sacking the bad-boy ingredients; try CLIF SHOT Electrolyte Hydration drinks or Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix. Despite the popular belief that we win from within, this is untrue when it comes to the ingredients of Gatorade.

All in all, staying hydrated is not as draining as it seems. Purchase a BPA-free or aluminum water bottle so that a source is always within reach. Check out the H20 organizations mentioned earlier and test out those sports drink replacements. Also, um, don’t forget… “Your beverage order anytime soon?”