The Water Myth is one of the most widespread anti aging myths perpetuated on the American public (and abroad).I know that a lot of you who are reading this article right now probably have your bottle of spring water with you at this very moment, just about to take another swallow and getting you ever closer to your 64 oz. a day quota. But before you take another drink, read on. This information may surprise you.
Myth 1 – You must drink 8-8 ounce glasses of water a day for beautiful skin and optimum health.
The Truth- Most nutritionists have no idea where this number comes from. "I can't even tell you that," says Barbara Rolls, a nutrition researcher at Pennsylvania State University, "and I've written a book on water."Kidney specialists agree that the 8-by-8 rule is a gross overestimate of any required minimum. To replace daily losses of water, an average-sized adult with healthy kidneys sitting in a temperate climate needs no more than one liter of fluid, according to Jurgen Schnermann, a kidney physiologist at the National Institutes of Health. One liter is the equivalent of about four 8-ounce glasses. According to most estimates, that's roughly the amount of water most Americans get in solid food. In short, though doctors don't recommend it, many of us could cover our bare-minimum daily water needs without drinking anything during the day.
Myth 2- Most people are dehydrated and need large amounts of water to alleviate this condition.
The Truth- "The notion that there is widespread dehydration has no basis in medical fact," says Dr. Robert Alpern, dean of the medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Doctors from a wide range of specialties agree: By all evidence, we are a well-hydrated nation. Furthermore, they say, the current infatuation with water as an all-purpose health potion — anti aging tonic for the skin, key to weight loss — is a blend of fashion and fiction and very little science.
Myth 3- If you wait until your body tells you it is thirsty to drink water, you are already dehydrated.
The Truth- An Institute of Medicine Panel reached the rational conclusion that on a daily basis people get enough water from normal drinking behavior, such as drinking beverages at meals and in other social situations, and by letting their thirst guide them. Every day you lose water from the body through urine and sweat, and this fluid needs to be replenished. However, your body has come equipped with a mechanism that tells you when you need to replenish your supply--it’s called thirst. When your body begins to lose from 1 percent to 2 percent of its total water, your thirst mechanism lets you know that it’s time to drink some water. If you are healthy, then drinking whenever you feel thirsty should be an adequate guide of how much water you need. (Paraphrased from Dr. Joseph Mercolas website.)
Why am telling you all this? Will drinking 8 glasses of water actually do some physical harm?
Probably not. There are worse habits. Water is the best beverage to have around in almost all situations. But we have gone overboard with our obsession with water and hitting some magic daily number.
I know because I too was a water myth victim. I was told that drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water a day would make my skin glow and give me an overall sense of well- being. Because I am skin-obsessed and an anti ager, I started carrying water bottles with me everywhere. To work, at restaurants, friends houses, grocery shopping… I was afraid to drink wine with my dinner for fear that I wouldn’t reach my water goal for the day if I did.
For a well over a year, I drank my eight glasses a day faithfully. And did my skin glow with the beauty of inner health? Did I feel like I was achieving a level of health beyond anything I had achieved before?
The answers are NO and NO. Here’s what I did receive for all my efforts.
Going to the bathroom every half hour. Being awaken every night around three AM to urinate and a growing hatred for water or anything watered down.
I fell off the water wagon a year ago. I only drink water when I am thirsty or after exercising or both. Other than that I hate water. And here’s the best part, even though I don’t nearly drink as much as water as I did, I still can’t make it through the night without going to the bathroom.
Does this mean you should abandon water, also? Just quit cold turkey and get on with your life?
I talked to a few nutritionists and physicians on this subject and here’s what most of them recommend.
1. Drink water with meals whenever possible. If you want to have wine with dinner, drink water for lunch. If you have soda for lunch, drink water for dinner. Water aids in digestion and makes you feel fuller.
2. Drink a cup of water in the morning when you first wake up. Not only does it help with the bad taste in your mouth but your body has been in repair mode all night and would appreciate the extra hydration boost. (You can still have your coffee or tea in the morning. Just drink some water first.)
3. Drink water whenever you feel thirsty.
4. Always drink plenty of water after exercising. A full 16 ounces is optimal.
5. Keep water with you at all times if you are going to be outside in hot, humid weather for an hour or more. Even if you are not expending much energy you are losing a lot of water through perspiration because your body is doing everything possible to remain cool. If you have to work in hot weather, carry along at least a gallon of water with you everywhere you go. A mid- size cooler with a spout is ideal.
Most importantly, STOP stressing about your water intake. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise and enjoy life everyday. There are plenty of things in life that will give you grief. Don’t let some made up water quota be one of them.
Sources: www.snopes.com/toxins/water.htm
Dr. Joseph Mercola
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
The rest of my information came from a Google search. Just type in the question “Do we really need 8 glasses of water a day?” The results will amaze you.
