Are you drinking enough water?

[Missy]

Most people have no idea how much water they should be drinking, and most Americans live from day to day in a dehydrated state. They don't drink enough water.

Without water, we would be poisoned to death by our own waste products and toxins resulting from metabolism.

Water is vital to digestion and metabolism, acting as a medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood, regulates body temperature and lubricates our joints (which is particularly important if you're arthritic, have chronic muscular-skeletal problems or are athletically active).

We need water to breathe; we lose approximately one pint of liquid every day just by exhaling.

If you are not in "fluid balance" you can impair every aspect of your body's physiological functioning.

Dr. Howard Flaks, Beverly Hills:
"As a result of not drinking enough water, many people encounter such problems as excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness (particularly after exercise) and water retention."

Proper water intake is the key to weight loss," says Dr. Donald Robertson, Scottsdale, Arizona. "If people who are trying to lose weight don't drink enough water, the body can't metabolize the fat, they retain fluid, which keeps their weight up, and the whole procedure we're trying to set up falls apart."

"I'd say the minimum amount of water a healthy person should drink is 10 eight-ounce glasses a day," he continues, "and you need to drink more if you are overweight, exercise a lot, or live in a hot climate. Overweight people should drink an extra eight ounces of water for each 25 pounds that exceeds their ideal weight."

Your water intake should be spread judiciously throughout the day, including the evening. Dr. Flaks cautions against drinking more than four glasses in any given hour. Always check with your physician before embarking on a water intake increase program.

You may ask, "If I drink this much water, won't I constantly be running to the bathroom?" Initially, yes, because of the hypersensitivity of the bladder to increased fluids. But after a few weeks, your bladder calms down, and you urinate less frequently, but in larger amounts.

There is a difference between pure water and other beverages that contain water.

Water is water. Obviously you can get it by consuming fruit juice, soft drinks, beer, coffee or tea. Unfortunately, while such drinks contain water, they also may contain substances that are not healthy and actually contradict some of the positive effects of the added water.

Dr. Jerzy Meduski, Los Angeles, California: "Beer contains water, but it also contains alcohol, which is a toxic substance. Beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee, stimulate the adrenal glands; fruit juices contain a lot of sugar and stimulate the pancreas. Such drinks may tax the body more than cleanse it."

Another problem with these beverages is that you lose your taste for water.

[Missy]

I usually drink 12 250ml glasses of water everyday.

The health manager at the gym I go to informed that when you go pee, it should be clear or you aren't drinking enough water. As in, there shouldn't be any yellowish tinge to your urine.

[TStreich]

I try to drink 66 to 99 oz (or 2-3 liters) of water a day. Somedays I don't do so good but most days I do. I can really tell if I don't drink enough. I start to get bloaty.

[Widdlecuddles]

"I'd say the minimum amount of water a healthy person should drink is 10 eight-ounce glasses a day," he continues, "and you need to drink more if you are overweight, exercise a lot, or live in a hot climate. Overweight people should drink an extra eight ounces of water for each 25 pounds that exceeds their ideal weight."

Wow so according to this I should be drinking about 128oz of water everyday!! Wow I've got some work to do.

[Big_Girl_Bigger_Heart]

I drink 2 gallons of water a day. Water is pretty much all I drink, less the occasional glass of 100% cranberry juice for healthy kidneys, and bladder. My doctor told me it's not uncommon for people loosing weight to get a urinary tract infection.
Now, what I do to insure I follow through with my two gallons a day, is the night before, I put two gallons in the fridge. Everywhere I go, my water goes with me. I'll fill up my snoopy cup, and drink away. You'd be amazed at how fast you can actually go through water when you don't think about it. At least I was.
Lady Jami

[bradybunch]

I used to really hate drinking water and barely drank anything apart from tea and coffee - now I've started drinking adequate water, I just feel so much better- I think we all need a reminder from time to time though!! I keep a water glass on my desk at work to remind me to drink plenty of water throughout the day and also keep a good supply of herbal teas - I feel so much more energetic when I'm hydrated enough.

I think eating more fresh fruit and veg helps too due to their high water content

[Missy]

Originally Posted by bradybunch

I used to really hate drinking water and barely drank anything apart from tea and coffee - now I've started drinking adequate water, I just feel so much better- I think we all need a reminder from time to time though!! I keep a water glass on my desk at work to remind me to drink plenty of water throughout the day and also keep a good supply of herbal teas - I feel so much more energetic when I'm hydrated enough.

I think eating more fresh fruit and veg helps too due to their high water content

if you don't like plain water, try squeezing some fresh lemon or lime into it. You could also look for Crystal Light at the grocery store..you just add it to water and it tastes like juice...only 5 calories!

[TStreich]

I always keep my water with me too. Especially at work. I keep my bottle right in the ice bin so it stays nice and cold. yum When I go bowling we bowl three games I have one 20oz bottle per game. That is 60oz alone. LOL I am bowling tonight and working afterwards so I should get lots of water.

[pathoulihanuk]

i drink about 2 litres of water some times double that which is the required amount.

[bradybunch]

Missy,

Thanks, that's a really good idea - I think I am going to start taking lemons and limes with me in to work. A co-worker had water with lime the other day on her desk and it looked so much more appetizing than my plain water!!!

I don't think we have Crystal Light here in the UK unfortunately :-(