Water, How Much Do We Really Need?

If there’s one thing that hasn’t had much controversy, or changed much, it’s on the subject of water.
How much do we really need, and are we doing ourselves harm if we don’t stay hydrated?

 

Nutritionists will tell us that we need to follow the 8 by 8 rule, and that holds true. Meaning, 8 ounces a glass, 8 times a day.
But don’t forget to make adjustments according to your lifestyle. If you are in the heat often or exercise, you’re going to want to drink more.

 

I have to say that this is something we really reinforce with our children. They have very active lifestyles, being outdoors a lot, living in Florida, and being very involved with athletics.
So we may nag, but for good reason. Here are some of those reasons:

 

~ Drinking water first thing in the morning is a good way to flush your system, and detox, by promoting blood circulation.
~ Staying hydrated will help prevent headaches and cramping during sport activities.
~ Water hydrates your joints and that means lubrication and a flexible body- which helps prevent injuries.
~ Water regulates body temperature.
~ Drinking water is a great substitute for any other beverage out there. Iced tea and caffeinated beverages are diuretics (dehydrating you), and sodas are full of sugar.
   As for sports drinks…that’s another blog, but I’ll just say water is the only option, as these drinks contain sugar as well, not to mention contains Brominated Vegetable Oil!
~ Don’t forget the benefits of oral hygiene. There’s nothing worse than a dry mouth, eek!
~ It’s free!
~ When we drink water, we naturally curb our appetite. Often the body mistakes hunger for thirst.
~ Staying hydrated throughout the day improves our concentration.

 

So how much do we need? On average, the 64 oz a day rule is a good guide, especially for kids. If you are exercising, a gallon a day is not unusual. You may have heard that will flood your kidneys, however, you would have to drink about a gallon an hour to do that.
And one important fact. “Water” should be replaced with the word “fluid”. Because you can drink other fluids and still stay hydrated, you just need to be careful that you’re not drinking diuretics, and you won’t want to opt for sugar drinks over water. However, fruit, is an excellent source, especially watermelon, which contains 90% water!

Water, How Much Do We Really Need?

Fruit Water Post
Almond milk with vegan protein (Shakeology) is a favorite of mine. A great post work out drink for rebuilding muscle also.
Shakeology
Or hey, let’s infuse our water with fruit….
photo 5
As for what type of water, filtered water is safe. And try bottles, they help the environment, and it’s BPA free and tastes better.
I use Aquasana. http://www.aquasana.com
Tea
And tea counts too, in the evening is lovely, just get white or green!

green juice

And don’t forget an all time favorite; fresh juicing! Fruits and vegetables!
Water Bottles
Happy Chugging!
Paris Carter
Latest posts by Paris Carter (see all)

27 Comments

  1. What a great post and a topic that we’ve been discussing around our family a lot this week. My son also insists that he wants to drink “sport drinks” because they are better… and we completely disagree. We’ve been trying to explain why… one of the reasons is the dye that is in most among many other reasons. Water is the way to go for hydrating for sports in my opinion!

    • I’m with you on that. It’s just added sugar, and also an ingredient you will love to know about- brominated vegetable oil. Look that up 😉

  2. I didn’t realize that it was so healthy to drink water first thing in the morning to flush out toxins. I always crave a big glass of water in the morning, but my hubby goes straight for small sips of coffee. I’m going to have to convince him to drink more water from now on!

  3. I have kidney stones, so I stick to a gallon a day. I don’t think I could ever drink TOO much water. The more I drink the better I look and feel!!! I love the idea of infusing different fruits into it, too.

  4. I was literally just thinking about this the other day – I got a glass of water and ate a piece of watermelon since I was thirsty! I’m on a never-ending quest to up my water intake.

  5. I am a huge water drinker! Although, lately, I’ve been guilty of not drinking as much as I should. Those glass bottles in the last pic are pretty fab looking!

  6. Great post and being pregnant with the heat I drink about 10 glasses or more a day! Of course that means I means more trips to the bathroom but I truly need it right now.

      • I think your hair looks cool straightened – like freaking Pocahontas lorik! And I love that shirt too, I wonder if they have it in H&M here in Sweden (wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t ac;y#llu&a8230t..)(I wish I had the same spirit as you when it comes to picking clothes in the morning!!!)[]

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