[lenjan]

For all the health freaks who have tried to sell me on this over the years, I say HA! And so does a nephrologist!

If you've ever felt guilty for not getting that "healthy 8 glasses a day" in, this one's for you!
4 lies about water intake

[Perna]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
One is that drinking a lot of water suppresses appetite.
The second myth is that filling up on water flushes toxins from the body.
The third myth is that it reduces headaches.
The fourth myth is that water drinking improves your skin.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> The 8 glasses recommendation probably came from that's approximately how much urine and sweat one eliminates?

I'm going with the CDC on water:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutr...sics/water.htm

The Goldfarb, kidney specialist is a sensationalist, trying to get his name in lights? What "average, healthy individual" is going to do this:

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
He also cited the case of a woman who developed swelling of the brain and died when she drank water continuously and very rapidly for several minutes as part of a contest.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> The four "myths" are vague, what is "a lot"? I think they're talking to the quacks of the world and those who listen to them in the first place but doing the opposite extreme and probably harming people like you and me Candybear who should drink more water

[lenjan]

The woman who died from drinking too much water was all over the news when it happened. It was a radio station stunt to win a new car. Her family sued and the DJs got fired. Since you're the Google queen , I'm sure you can find it.

[silver_queen]

Actually I don't see why all those aren't myths because I think they're pretty accurate.

One: drinking water can fill you up, one or two glasses. I know, I've tried it.

Two: drinking enough water, it's said, helps remove toxins from the body.

Three: Dehydration can cause headaches. So when with a headache from dehydration, drinking water = good.

Four: fewer toxins in the body would mean a better skin condition...

[lenjan]

If you read the story, two physicians who specialize in kidney function say tons of water has little effect on flushing toxins from the body. I'd be willing to go with them.

[lenjan]

Here's the link, Perna:
woman dies from water intoxication

[MyBestKids2]

I agree Perna and SilverQueen. I've felt nothing but better when I introducted more water into my daily routine. Certainly, too much of any one thing is NOT good for you. Then again, I don't believe I'll be downing 2 gallons of water within a couple hours anytime soon to win a Wii game station.

[lenjan]

Courtesy of med-induced cotton mouth, I'm one of those people constantly attached to a water bottle. I drink a ton. I've yet to see any fabulous, amazing benefits, but I run to the john enough that my officemate asks if I'm feeling OK. Yippee for water!

[Perna]

Yes, I remember hearing about that woman in the news. That would certainly be "a lot" of water

The Government (and we all know how knowledgeable they are :-) suggests 6-8 glasses a day.

I know I use to never drink water but after the one trip to the hospital in my life for a digestive problem (that lasted 5 months and cost $30,000+) I turned over a new leaf and started working to make things healthier for me. I'm not into constipation if I can help it and water really does help there.

I have Deerpark water delivered now and for awhile was despairing because I always ended up with leftover water when they were making the next delivery but I finally just cut back on how much they deliver and occasionally, like last month, just skip a delivery. So now I'm running out of water (but I cheat and use the bottled water instead of tap to make my coffee in the morning if I'm the one making it and pour it for the plants and animals instead of the chlorinated tap water.

[(JD)]

Dehydration
Did you know that if you're thirsty, you're already partially dehydrated?
Drink to prevent thirst, not to quench it.

With severe dehydration, call for emergency help: If you, your child, or someone you know has symptoms of severe dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, reluctance to drink, inability to pass urine or cry tears, high fever, lethargy, confusion, cold hands and feet, rapid and weak pulse, rapid breathing, (in infants, a sunken fontanel) -- call for emergency help and have the person sip a electrolyte-replacement fluid (for babies or children, one that's made especially for them such as Pedialyte).

The Problem of Dehydration
How Dehydration Affects You and Your Children
The Benefits of Being Well-hydrated
Signs of Dehydration
Signs of Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke
Links for More Information

The Problem of Dehydration:

Dehydration is a worldwide problem: It's our belief that most people in this world don't get nearly enough water to drink throughout the day. People most at risk:

People in countries with insufficient clean water to drink
Children who are old enough to talk but not old enough to understand about thirst
People who are relying on coffee, tea, soft drinks, juice, and alcohol (all dehydrators) for their liquid
New mothers -- especially nursing mothers
Athletes (athletes can easily burn through more water in their bodies than they replace)
People for whom physical labor is a large part of their daily routine
People whose work keeps them on the move and/or on their feet
People whose daily routine (or company policy) prevents them from keeping liquid nearby
People who are ill, feverish, vomiting, or who have diarrhea (especially people with weakened immune systems from illnesses such as cancer or AIDS)
Babies and children who aren't given enough liquid
People who are overheated and sweating profusely
Diabetics
Mentally or physically disabled children and adults
Seniors -- especially seniors in nursing homes and seniors who don't move around well
People with an eating disorder -- especially those using diuretics or laxatives
People who are abusing drugs or prescription medications
People eating an excessive amount of salt
People traveling, working or living in an arid, humid, hot, cold or high-altitude environment
Airplane travelers (airplane air dehydrates more quickly than outside air)


How Dehydration Affects You and Your Child:

How it affects you: Being well-hydrated is important to your physical and mental health. Dehydration makes a person tired, cranky, and stiff-jointed. Being dehydrated can bring on headaches, nausea, aches and cramps -- and other, more serious physical ailments. Dehydration can make it more difficult for parents to be patient with children and with each other. Severe dehydration can cause seizures, coma, or even death.

How it affects your child: The little ones, especially, forget to drink or to tell you that they need to drink. If you find the children getting peaked and cranky toward the afternoon, it might be because they're dehydrated. Common symptoms of dehydration are crankiness, headaches, aches in the joints and weariness. If your child says he/she is thirsty, don't make the child wait for liquid. Dehydration has already begun. Remember: severe dehydration can quickly kill a baby or child.

The benefits of being well-hydrated:

Have you heard the saying that 8 glasses of water a day helps keep your skin healthy? It's true, but there are other benefits to getting those 8 glasses or more:

Boosts physical and mental endurance.
Helps maintain a pleasant demeanor. Dehydrated adults and children tend to be irritable and/or lethargic.
Helps prevent muscle cramps in your legs, hands, and feet -- and achy stiffness in your joints.
Can prevent headaches. Are you prone to migraines, cluster headaches? Ask yourself how much water you drink in a day. If it isn't at least 48 ounces (preferably more), you might be dehydrated.
Some studies show hydration can decrease the risk of kidney stones and lower the risk of certain cancers by helping the body to flush out toxins.
Helps keep your digestive system working. Fluids soften the stools, making them easier to pass.
Helps prevent urinary tract infections by helping to flush away bacteria.
Helps keep pregnant women from being constipated -- and it can also help the body flush away excess fluid that can lead to bloating and edema (swelling).
Helps nursing women with milk production. If you are having a problem with milk supply, ask yourself how much water you're drinking.
Helps keep your eyes and skin moist and healthy. When the body is dehydrated, it looks for moisture from wherever it can find it -- including the eyes and skin.
Can help asthmatics breathe more efficiently, according to experts. Apparently, dehydration interferes with how well the lungs function (thereby increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack). http://www.saferchild.org/dehydrat.htm

[b] All I know is that there is plenty of documentation to support drinking plenty of water. I know when my dad had a kidney stone, the experts said that it only takes one time of becoming dehydrated and a stone can begin. I also have personal testimony that "I" need plenty of water for my system to function better. With muscle spasms, the muscles seem to burn up my body's fluid and will spasm worse if I don't stay hydrated. I have more lung issues if I don't keep hydrated. My digestive system works better than most, and I attribute it to increased water intake (as opposed to others in the same scenario at the same time who don't drink much water.) My allergies are less reactive if I keep good intake of water. My dog and bunny like filtered water better than tap water, so there's also something about the quality of water I drink. My skin is good and I look younger than I am and I attribute much of that to staying well hydrated. The body is mostly water, isn't it? I have many more doctors from several different mediums sharing why, for their specialty, good hydration is a must for me to be healthy.

But if someone doesn't want to drink plenty of water, who am I to try and make them drink? I do hope more is published about this "debunking" though, and maybe shed water, I mean light, on why I think it's the water?!

<font color="purple">Finaly, someone who understands, I've had this argument before...

Mom: Drink 8 glasses of water a day, 16 fluid oz each.
Me: That's insane, I'm just going to drink when I'm thirsty.
Mom: No, you should drink even if you aren't thirsty because drinking 8 glasses is healthy for you
Me: There is absolutely no way that I'm drinking 8 glasses a day.

That's just that for me, drinking more then what my body is calling for is redundant. Humans have thirst for a reason. Unlike eating even though I'm not hungry, just the thought of drinking (even water!) when I'm not thirsty makes me feel sick to my stomach. Some people are different then others. </font>

[AAAAA]

When I worked as a CNA the nurses reminded us every morning to push water. I did not realize how helpful water was to my GI tract until I started working in a foundry and nothing but water would quench my thirst in the summer. I have GI problems but I had fewer flare ups in the summer.

Moderation of anything is the key.

[(JD)]

What Drs Oz and Mehmet are saying is that often when you think you are hungry, you are actually (more often than not) thirsty, that your sensors register them the same.

I'm sure there are those whose systems require less water than mine. For once, I'm textbook when it comes to the benefits of copious water intake.

[SeptemberMorn]

Candy, I'm with you! Never have been much of a water drinker even when I was growing up in the desert. There have been times when a couple swallows of beer have done the trick for me. Nothing else will cut that nasty tasting film in your mouth when it gets really hot or you've been outdoors for too long.

When I discovered that I have kidney problems, my dr told me to watch how much I drink; to cut down on fluid intake.
Hubby NEVER drinks water. It's always tea or coffee, sometimes Coke. His dr had him keeping track of how often he went pee and he goes just about every hour on the hour. Yeah, he's got prostrate problems but I swear! He spends more time in the bathroom than anywhere else! Poor baby can't get a decent night's sleep.

[lenjan]

And of course, we know all the doctors on Discovery Health Channel are perfect paragons of knowledge and virtue. Right, Dr. Jan Adams?

I don't trust any physicians who devote more time to TV appearances and book tours than to practicing medicine. They just make more money than most people with attention-seeking issues.

[(JD)]

feel better soon.

[Greenleaves]

My professor also told us that most people are drinking extra water for nothing.

I say, just drink when you're thirsty.

[Timgt5]

Interesting discussion. Men's health had an article. According to the article the 8 glasses a day is an arbitrary number and has no scientfic justification. Water intake should be based on the individual and the daily activities they do. A construction worker for example would need more water than someone who was behind a desk all day. Substituting water for that daily soft drink can help with weight loss over time.

I urge people however not to use plastic bottled water. Manufactoring the containers consumes an enormous amount of petrolium which contributes to the high price of gas. They are not biodegradable and therefore bad for the environment. In most cases what is in the them is ordinary filtered tap water. That's right, your paying a lot of money for the same basic water that comes from your faucet at home. A good water filter is a much better investment. The ads you hear from companies like Deer Park are pure marketing BS.

[TaintedGoth1]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Timgt5 said:
I urge people however not to use plastic bottled water.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Actually I'd have to agree with this! And where is the proof that it's actually spring water, as it says? I say go to the source...an actual spring! I know...not everyone has that option...so opt for a Brita pitcher instead. I'd trust that over the bottled water. Plus...much less expensive!

I have trouble finding water that is actually palatable...at least for me. I was raised on well water and when you're poor like my family, then you certainly can't afford filters and all that other stuff that people repeatedly tell me to go out and buy(not like they've ever priced filter systems for hard water/well water in the first place!).

[Blue93]

Here you can drink water out of the tap everywhere, tastes the same as water you buy.

People just like to have a little bottle of water with them to work, school, sports, travelling etc.

Maybe just don't buy new ones all the time rather clean them and fill them up with tapwater/water from big waterbottle..

[PsyChris]

It's kind of funny that even in the face of a scientific review done at a prestigious University people do not want to admit they were wrong and the people that told them to do it, were also wrong. It's also ironic that the study to tell people to drink water was probably done at an equally prestigious university :P

Everyone has built up their psuedoevidence for drinking lots of water. They have even convinced themselves so much that there body is starting to somatize symptoms of dehydration!

Since the dawn of human existence we have been using our instinct of thirst to regulate our fluid balance--I see no reason why I shouldn't continue using that theory. When I'm thirsty, I drink. It's amazingly simple and it's prevented kidney failure and stones.

"It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. On the contrary, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent." (Valtin, M.D)

Bottled water is my own personal pet peeve. In the United States the tap drinking water is cleaner than the water in bottles and does not taste any different. People just make up the excuse that it tastes bad to legitimize buying bottled water.