Some experts now say to drink only when you are thirsty.
The advice we receive about how much water we should be drinking daily keeps changing and I’m confused. For many years I have tried to keep pace with the 8 cups of water daily maxim. Only water counted, not my morning cup of coffee. Recently there have been articles that have amended some of what I believed to be true which made me curious. I am not a doctor, so please check with your doctor before making any major changes.
Water is essential to good health. Our bodies depend on water to survive. Individual water needs are determined by health, activity level, weather, geographical location, and age. There is no single answer for everyone. Serious lack of water can lead to dehydration, a dangerous condition that prevents your body from carrying out normal functions.
Here is a list of some of the tasks our bodies need water for to perform properly, from this Harvard Medical School report.
- carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells
- flushing bacteria from your bladder
- aiding digestion
- preventing constipation
- normalizing blood pressure
- stabilizing the heartbeat
- cushioning joints
- protecting organs and tissues
- regulating body temperature
- maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance.
Current thinking by some medical professionals is changing.
Longstanding recommendations for daily water consumption from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is 15.5 cups of fluids for men a day, and 11.5 cups for women. That is certainly more than I consume or intend to consume. I was interested to learn in recent reports that many professionals consider those amounts high Harvard Medical School in their Harvard Health Publishing recently reported that 4 – 6 cups a day is enough for healthy people.
Any beverage and many foods can add water to your system.
Fruits and vegetables, soups and sauces all contribute to water intake. Watermelon and spinach, for example are almost 100% water by weight according to the Mayo Clinic. Beverages like tea and coffee with caffeine, and alcoholic beverages have nearly the identical hydrating effects of water according to Dr. Joel Topf, a nephrologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at Oakland University in Michigan. The Mayo Clinic adds that milk, juice, and sodas are mostly composed of water and can be counted in your daily fluid intake.
What about replacing electrolytes?
According to Dr. Hew-Butler, an exercise and sports scientist at Wayne State University, there is no scientific reason for most healthy people to drink beverages with electrolytes added unless they are engaging in intense exercise in the heat.
Can a person drink too much water?
It is unusual for a healthy person to drink too much water, but it can be dangerous if it happens. If the body has too much water, the kidneys cannot get rid of the excess and the situation can become life-threatening.
How can we be sure we are ingesting enough fluids?
For many, the new rule of thumb is to drink whenever you are thirsty. If you are rarely thirsty, you are probably drinking enough fluids. People over 80 need to pay more attention to how much they are drinking because as we age, the thirst sensation decreases.
4-6 cups a day of water is good news for me! I’m going to return the gallon-size water bottle I recently bought and try a new approach of drinking when I’m thirsty. I’ll be curious to see how much water that will amount to daily.
Read this article for helpful water bottles;
