Water is everywhere. Most of our planet is covered by it. It makes up most of who we are. A lot of the things we think are solid are in large part actually mostly fluid.
We all know drinking water is healthy. It helps improve our skin and improves our ability to regulate body temperature. It gives us more energy and helps with detoxification. The benefits just go on.
So we shouldn’t be asking whether water is healthy, because it is. That’s a fact.
The question is how much water should you have per day?
The answer to this question really depends on a number of factors. The 8 by 8 guidelines suggest we drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water every single day. But who really thought of that?
The answer isn’t so cut and dry. It’s important to understand that many of the health claims you hear (even those about water) are sponsored by large food (or water) corporations. It’s a little biased to say the least.
Drinking excess water – more water than your body needs – can actually have detrimental effects on your health. This can lead to something like hyponatremia, which is a condition that happens when drinking too much water dilutes the sodium levels within your bloodstream. Quite dangerous.
Another thing that’s important to look at the food you’re eating. Food in itself contains a lot of fluid, which adds to your total fluid consumption.
So how much water should I drink per day then?
It really depends. It depends on things such as your activity levels and outside temperature. So it will never be the same. Thus, your water requirements are always changing.
So even though the 8X8 recommendations fair as a good reference, it’s better to just listen to what your body is telling you. If you’re thirsty, drink water. If you’re not, then stay away from it.
Always let your thirst guide you.