How Much Water Should You Really Drink Daily?
What if I told you, you’ve been lied to your whole life?!
The standard 8x8 rule of water consumption that we all live by (eight, 8-oz cups of water a day) isn’t based on any hard, scientific data. A 2002 study published in the American Journal of Physiology took a deep dive into past literature and turned up….nothing. Nada. Zilch.
That’s right. It’s completely made up!
Along with this misinformation comes additional factors to consider including differences in peoples’ weight, medical condition, exercise regimen, home-climate, etc. With all of this, its understandably difficult for the average person to make sense of it all.
Well, that’s exactly why we’re here at Hands That Touch Home Healthcare Inc. Along with skilled-nursing and physical therapy needs, we also provide free health consultations and medical advice when needed. So let's delay your thirst no longer and get into some true facts about water consumption.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Your body is an extremely complex system with the ultimate goal of keeping you healthy. In the same way your stomach begins to grumble to signal you’re hungry, you get thirsty when your body’s water content drops below a certain level. Regardless of how much you’ve already drank during the day, if you have feelings of thirst then do not ignore them.
EVERYTHING COUNTS
You don’t have to drink pure H2O to satisfy your water intake.
Contrary to popular belief, liquids such as coffee, tea, milk and unsweetened beverages do help with hydration. In addition, water can be found in dietary foods such as meat, fish, eggs and especially fruits & vegetables.
So don’t immediately run to the grocery store and fill your cart with bottled water; there are a myriad of options to achieve your hydration goals.
DO YOU
As summer winds down and the heatwaves subside, many people may believe they need less water; not so! You should consider your own, unique situation when determining how much to adjust your water intake. If you are pregnant, exercise regularly, currently dieting or live in a warmer climate you will need to drink more water than average.
In addition, people with certain medical conditions can also benefit from higher water intake. For example, individuals who suffer from frequent constipation, kidney stones or even bladder cancer have been show in medical studies to benefit from drinking more water daily.
As always, you can contact us at Hands That Touch Home Health Services Inc for a free consultation about your skilled-nursing and physical therapy needs. We look forward to providing you and your family with the highest-quality, capable care for recovery or long term care at home.