Do you know what this stuff is?
Of course you do, it’s delicious, delicious water.
It’s one of the most important parts of life on earth.
But, why do you need it and how much should we be drinking each day?
To answer this, maybe we should start by looking at what your body does with the water, after
you’ve swallowed it all down.
Here’s a list of just a few of its jobs:
Water carries nutrients and oxygen to your cells
It empties out your bladder so you get rid of all the bacteria there.
It protects your tissue and organs and joints It stabilizes your heartbeat and controls
your blood pressure It controls your body temperature
So, yeah, it’s kind of useful.
And that’s just a few of its jobs.
And when you consider that around 60% of your body is made of water, it’s obvious how
vital it is.
The big question is; how much do you need to drink a day?
Is it eight glasses, like you read online everywhere?
Or is it two litres, like all your friends have been telling you over the years?
This is the Health Chronicle and today we will try to answer the long debated question
- How much water should you drink a day?
The fact of the matter is is, most of the amounts we hear are right and wrong.
Let me explain;
In reality, everyone is different and the exact amount of water you need will depend
on many factors.
If you live in a hot country, you will sweat more and need to replace that liquid.
The same goes for someone with a very active lifestyle like a professional sports person,
compared to someone who sits in an office.
Then there are other factors like your sex, your weight, your height and your specific
genetics.
And if you are a dolphin, then who cares how much water you need - how are you on YouTube?
The truth is, no one has exactly the same water requirements as everyone else.
And each individuals needs will change from day to day.
But, 2 litres, or 8 cups, is still a rough approximation.
And for most people, if you get that much water, then you’re good to go.
However, there are two big misconception that come from the 8 cups / 2 litres idea.
The first is that you have to actually drink this amount of water as pure water, on top
of everything else you do.
You don’t; water is water, no matter how you ingest it.
Of course, if you take all your water in the form of soda, then you get the benefits of
the water, but you have to deal with the huge negatives of having litres of soda every day.
A report from the Institute of Medicine said that, as an average, women need 2.7 litres
of fluid per day, and it’s 3.7 litres for men.
That’s all the fluid from eating and drinking.
And, it’s normally an 80/20 split.
80% coming from drinking and 20% from eating.
Your diet will play a big factor here since, if you’re eating lettuce and watermelon
for every meal then you’re getting a lot more water than someone who has peanuts and
crackers.
So, you could get all of your daily water need from food, at least in theory.
You might have to chew for the whole day though.
But all beverages are mostly water so if you find it a little boring or don’t like the
taste, then teas, coffees, juices, beer - all these do count towards your fluid intake.
Some people say that caffeinated and alcoholic drinks shouldn’t be counted as they dehydrate
you, but this isn’t true.
Caffeine and alcohol do increase how much you urinate so you will lose some of the water
but not more than you consume.
Pure water is obviously a better option when it comes to health but, when it comes to hydration,
a coffee or a cocktail are still helping.
But we shouldn’t get obsessed with measuring.
Most experts, including those at the Institute of Medicine, say that you don’t need to
get your jug out every morning and measure out the exact volume of water you’re going
to consume that day.
No, you already have an amazing way of checking if you have enough water.
It’s called; being thirsty.
Your thirst is the best test for whether you’re getting enough water.
It doesn’t matter what you need it for, if your body feels that the water tank is
a little low, it will give your mouth that dry feeling so you know to go top up.
This is by far the best system because thirst adjusts to your needs.
And, as we have discussed, the amount of fluid you need changes from day to day and person
to person.
There are a few signs that you aren’t getting enough water.
Dark urine is often a sign that you are dehydrated.
In more severe cases, you will also become faint and dizzy.
So, maybe if you are ill, especially where the symptoms involve vomiting or diarrhea,
make sure you compensate for the lost fluid by drinking a little extra.
You might not realise how thirsty you are due to all the other symptoms.
But, on a normal day, just trust your thirst and you’ll drink just as much water as you
need.