Every biologist and scientific chemist would all agree that the human body is made up of mostly water. With that being true, why do we need to drink more water and how much is truly enough?
In today’s modern era we see more people carrying around their bottled water than ever before. Everywhere you look, you are bound to spot someone in range either drinking water or carrying it to be consumed shortly. That’s a really good habit, but…
There are some misconceptions about drinking water and the right amount we should take in on a daily basis. The Institute of Medicine reported for years that we should all take in a minimum of eight glasses daily. Next it was said men should drink so many cups, while women drink another number of cups. Then the reports changed down the road and reported that our consumption should be measured according to our own body weight. Drink in ounces half of what your body weight is.
Most American doctors will tell you to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Who do we believe? Which measurement is correct? Nutritionist will clearly tell you to use your thirst as your GPS. Whenever you feel thirsty, take a drink of water and you will probably take in enough daily.
We must keep in mind there are also a variety of other things that calculated as your water intake, simply because they have a high water content. These would be foods such as certain fruits, and vegetables that are based very high in water.
Other drinks such as tea, coffee and carbonated drinks can be counted as fluids, although they are not very dependable in quenching the body’s thirst for water. You can be certain that nothing hydrates the body as quickly as a glass of water.
Anyone who follows the food pyramid way of daily eating should also be fine with their daily consumption of adequate liquids. The only thing left to do is add enough water that is right for you and your body. It’s important to never force yourself to become overly full from water alone. That increases the chances for the body to have too much water. People never consider this happening.
So, what is considered enough and how can you really know? One sure way to measure if your body is getting enough fluids is to monitor your urine. When the color of your urine appears to be of a light color to clear, you are most definitely well hydrated. When the urine appears darker, say (gold to darker) is when you should become alarmed, for it is then too concentrated and you need more water.
I’ve had a medical doctor from Miami once tell me that I should only drink about four to five glasses of water per day. The next thing he said to me was shocking, he said I should only urinate a minimum of 2 to 3 times a day! He continued by saying peeing every hour is not good for the body, it is too much work for the kidneys. Like I said there are much misconception about drinking water.
My question remains, “who do you believe?” I don’t know about anyone else, but I intend to take the advice of the nutritionists and let my thirst be my guide. I intend to use common sense and eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, along with salads and other food based high in water and nutrients and still drink a minimum of six and or a maximum of eight glasses per day whenever feasible.
This may be a good guide for you to follow as well, for doing so you will find your own truth about how much water your body desire and clear of any misconception about drinking water.