Health

Eight Glasses of Water A Day — Is Just a Myth.

No, You Don’t Really Need Eight Glasses Of Water A Day If You Eat.

The question of how much water you need, separate from the fluids you get from food, has attracted endless discussion since the “8 glasses a day” philosophy was introduced.

We sometimes do not recognise how much liquid there is in our food itself, and we also tend to overlook the liquids we take in: tea, coffee, soft drinks, juices; and other sources of fluids, apart from plain water itself.

So, How Did The Idea Start?

The actual notion of 8 glasses a day originates from a 1945 US Food and Nutrition Board which recommended 2.5 litres of daily water intake. But what is generally forgotten from this recommendation is, firstly, it was not based on any research and that secondly the recommendation stated that most of the water intake could come from food sources.

This is an interesting and certainly non-controversial article, given that our kidneys must process all that fluid we take in, and because they work too hard if we don’t take in enough fluid, it’s an informative read.

Source https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth

Older People and the Physically More Active Must Avoid Dehydration

Older people and those who are physically more active must watch out for dehydration. Older people, especially, because they tend to eat less and need more direct fluid intake.

In my own case, I tend to suffer easily from cramp if I get dehydrated. My personal Facebook page is full of years of stories about cramp, and, so far, with my new Brain Training I have avoided it altogether. But that is predicated upon drinking regularly throughout the day, because I have to wee often.

Coffee vs Alcohol

It’s not true coffee is a diuretic — but alcohol certainly is, so if you have been having a glass or two, it’s a particularly clever idea to top up your fluid intake with two or three small glasses of water, in addition to your usual water intake.

If you don’t care too much for the taste of water, a dash of lime or lemon juice makes it easier to drink.

Given my recent interest in Brain Training to overcome incontinence, it is a great relief to know that I don’t have to drink eight glasses of water a day.

In fact, on top of four or five 250ml mugs of tea, and food, one glass of water a day is proving to be enough. My Mum certainly knew a thing or two.

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