Am I drinking enough water?

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Proper water intake can help decrease the risk of dying from heart disease, reduce risk of bladder cancer in men, help remove toxins from our body, help keep us regular, energize our muscles, regulate body temperature, carry nutrients and oxygen to our cells, is critical for our skin, and the list goes on.    
 

Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash

Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash

But how much do we really need?

Because the body is made up of 60% water, and utilizes it in so many critical bodily functions, we need to continually top it up.  But how much exactly?  It seems very few studies have been done on just how much water we need.   The “8 glasses a day” recommendation is based on quite flimsy data, plus what we need will vary based on our gender, our physical activity, our climate, the type of food we eat (fruit and vegetables have lots of water, and it counts!) as well as other beverages we drink.  

Everyone has different requirements (see my blog on Bio-individuality). And not only that, based on all the best evidence to date, the general recommended amount varies widely.  

So how much?!

In very general terms, the WHO and the US Institute of Medicine recommend between 2.0 and 2.7 litres (8 to 11 cups) for women and 2.5 and 3.7 litres (11 to 15 cups) for men.    Seriously???

BUT, this includes water from all sources, and it’s important to note that we get about a litre of water a day from food and the water our body makes.  

So overall, it nets to approximately 4 to 7 cups a day for women, and 6 to 11 cups for men (moderate exercise and no extreme temperatures)[1]
 
So don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t getting your 8 glasses of water a day.    But DO appreciate the fact that water is essential for a myriad of critical bodily functions and you need it daily!

So if you feel you struggle to take in enough water during the day (which many of us do), try one or more of the following suggestions:

  • Keep a water jug on your kitchen counter or desk so it’s always visible

  • Make a habit of starting your day with one to two glasses of water, every morning

  • Liven things up – use lemon, lime, cucumber or berries for flavouring

  • Drink herbal teas throughout the day

  • Eat more vegetables and fruit – they are very high in water content

  • Carry a water bottle with you (please, not plastic) every time you walk out the door

  • If you need reminders throughout the day because you never seem to remember to drink, set reminders on your phone or use this app.

With gratitude,
 
gillian

[1] https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/05/25/how-much-water-should-we-drink-every-day/