You've probably heard the old adage, "Drink eight glasses of water a day".
Have you ever wondered where this number came from? Fluid needs are based on a person's calorie intake:About one milliliter (ml) of water for each calorie is estimated to meet fluid needs.
Since an average person eats 2000 calories per day, that brings the fluid need to 2000 ml which is about 8 cups of water! Of course this is for an average person on an average day.
You should drink more if you are more active, if you will be outdoors on a hot day, if you have a fever, or if you are eating foods containing a lot of salt (water helps flush out extra sodium).
Why is hydrating important?Your body is made of two thirds water.
Water fills the cells and lubricates the joints.
It is needed for many body functions, and it makes up a large portion of your brain, your muscles, and your blood.
Water helps your body cool off through sweating, and rids your body of waste products through the urine your kidneys put out.
Without water you would fall ill in a short time, and most people would not live without water for much more than one week.
WHAT COUNTS AS "WATER"? Whenever you can drink eight glasses of fluid a day, you are probably staying pretty well hydrated.
Of course, if the fluids you drink are not pure water, you end up getting less actual water by the end of the day.
But if you have three or four eight-ounce glasses of water, a couple of glasses of juice, a couple of glasses of milk, and a soda or coffee drink here and there, you're probably doing very well! HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M GETTING ENOUGH? Symptoms of inadequate water intake range from headaches, fatigue, and feelings of thirst to more serious symptoms like nausea, confusion, and dizziness.
Try drinking a glass of some beverage at least every other hour while you are awake to be sure you are getting enough.
A simple way to tell if you are well hydrated is to check the color of your urine: a dark yellow urine is too concentrated.
You should try to get it to a very pale shade of yellow by drinking more fluids on a daily basis.
(Note: if you are taking a B vitamin supplement or eating a breakfast bar or cereal fortified with B vitamins, your urine later in the morning will appear a bright yellow from the riboflavin.
This is no reflection on your hydration status).
CAN I DRINK TOO MUCH WATER? There have been rare instances where people have become seriously ill by drinking too much water.
Too much is something like 10 glasses every hour all day long.
If you have healthy kidneys and are in good physical shape, feel free to drink to satisfy your thirst.
And contact your doctor if you need to drink more than two glasses every hour to satisfy your thirst (unless you've been working hard in the heat, or some other good explanation for increased thirst).
Continued excessive thirst can indicate a variety of health problems.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WATER? Anything you drink is probably better than nothing-with the obvious exception of alcoholic beverages.
Caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages stimulate you to urinate more and can actually leave you a bit dehydrated.
Many people do not like the taste of plain water.
Feel free to add something for flavoring, such as a squirt of lemon or lime or a little bit of fruit juice.
You might add a powdered drink mix (although this will often add calories, too) or you might try flavoring it with a little steep of decaffeinated, flavored tea.
Try water from different sources, like your tap, filtered water, and different brands of bottled water, until you find one you like!
Have you ever wondered where this number came from? Fluid needs are based on a person's calorie intake:About one milliliter (ml) of water for each calorie is estimated to meet fluid needs.
Since an average person eats 2000 calories per day, that brings the fluid need to 2000 ml which is about 8 cups of water! Of course this is for an average person on an average day.
You should drink more if you are more active, if you will be outdoors on a hot day, if you have a fever, or if you are eating foods containing a lot of salt (water helps flush out extra sodium).
Why is hydrating important?Your body is made of two thirds water.
Water fills the cells and lubricates the joints.
It is needed for many body functions, and it makes up a large portion of your brain, your muscles, and your blood.
Water helps your body cool off through sweating, and rids your body of waste products through the urine your kidneys put out.
Without water you would fall ill in a short time, and most people would not live without water for much more than one week.
WHAT COUNTS AS "WATER"? Whenever you can drink eight glasses of fluid a day, you are probably staying pretty well hydrated.
Of course, if the fluids you drink are not pure water, you end up getting less actual water by the end of the day.
But if you have three or four eight-ounce glasses of water, a couple of glasses of juice, a couple of glasses of milk, and a soda or coffee drink here and there, you're probably doing very well! HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M GETTING ENOUGH? Symptoms of inadequate water intake range from headaches, fatigue, and feelings of thirst to more serious symptoms like nausea, confusion, and dizziness.
Try drinking a glass of some beverage at least every other hour while you are awake to be sure you are getting enough.
A simple way to tell if you are well hydrated is to check the color of your urine: a dark yellow urine is too concentrated.
You should try to get it to a very pale shade of yellow by drinking more fluids on a daily basis.
(Note: if you are taking a B vitamin supplement or eating a breakfast bar or cereal fortified with B vitamins, your urine later in the morning will appear a bright yellow from the riboflavin.
This is no reflection on your hydration status).
CAN I DRINK TOO MUCH WATER? There have been rare instances where people have become seriously ill by drinking too much water.
Too much is something like 10 glasses every hour all day long.
If you have healthy kidneys and are in good physical shape, feel free to drink to satisfy your thirst.
And contact your doctor if you need to drink more than two glasses every hour to satisfy your thirst (unless you've been working hard in the heat, or some other good explanation for increased thirst).
Continued excessive thirst can indicate a variety of health problems.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WATER? Anything you drink is probably better than nothing-with the obvious exception of alcoholic beverages.
Caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages stimulate you to urinate more and can actually leave you a bit dehydrated.
Many people do not like the taste of plain water.
Feel free to add something for flavoring, such as a squirt of lemon or lime or a little bit of fruit juice.
You might add a powdered drink mix (although this will often add calories, too) or you might try flavoring it with a little steep of decaffeinated, flavored tea.
Try water from different sources, like your tap, filtered water, and different brands of bottled water, until you find one you like!
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