Water, Water, and More Water
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Although I am a healthcare provider, I am not your provider. The information provided here is strictly informational and for reference and should never be used in place of you or your child’s health care providers’ diagnoses or personalized advice.
Drink water! Drink Water, Drink Water! Sometimes I feel like I am going to float away if I drink any more water! Why do we need so much water?
How much water do you really need?
Well, It Depends…..
Is it 8 cups? Does coffee or tea count? Speaking for adults, yes, you need at least 8 cups. However, there are 2 newer ways to measure for adequate water intake.
1. Divide your weight (in pounds) by 2. This is the number of ounces you should drink per day.
2. Drink enough water until your urine is almost clear, with only a tint of yellow. (Yes, I am telling you to look in the toilet after you go to the bathroom!)
Juice, coffee and tea do give you some water but caffeinated beverages act as a natural diuretic, which means, they cause your kidneys to filter out more water thus cause you to urinate more.
This can ultimately encourage dehydration.
Foods do help with water intake. For instance, high water content foods such as melons, cucumbers, lettuce, skim milk and various berries help supply your body with hydration but you should also drink adequate water as well and not rely on this for fluid intake. Consider it a bonus for your water goals!
If you are physically active and/or sweating a lot, you need more water than the calculated measurements above. Please consult your primary care provider to help you get adequate quantities of fluids to meet your needs and prevent harmful dehydration.
If you feel thirsty, you are likely dehydrated!
What about kids?
Kids tend to follow what their parents or guardians do. Children should utilize the same measurement methods mentioned above to calculate adequate water intake. Because each child is different based on their physical size and activity levels, the calculations above and monitoring of urine color help to customize by child.
What about flavoring?
“I don’t like plain water’
Some flavoring might be OK but be cautious of sugar and non-sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners.
The best way to add flavor to your water is to infuse it with natural products such as fruits or veggies. Use an infusion pitcher or water bottle to help with this or just add directly to your water. You can also add carbonation with a SodaStream
If you need it to be sweeter than the fruit/veggies can provide, consider adding a small amount of Stevia.
Tricks to get you to drink more water…
Get a water cup or bottle that you can keep with you at all times. Make sure it has a lid. Measure how many ounces are in the bottle and divide that number by the number of ounces you should drink per day. This will tell you how many times you need to fill and empty your bottle per day. See… I said empty because if you are like my husband or kids, you would say “you just said I have to fill it, not drink it”
I personally love my Tervis water cups and bottles and my scripture based bottles. I am a cup snob but I like what I like and they are super durable and I have had them for years.
- Start early in the day. As soon as you wake up, drink 8-16 oz.
- Drink a cup before each meal and snack.
- Carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go
- Ask for water if you eat out
Little Heathy Competition Never Hurt Anyone
Keep a log or even a competition sheet on the refrigerator. See who can meet their goal the most in 30 day period.
Can you drink too much water?
The answer to this is YES. If you drink too much water, your kidneys can not keep up and you do not urinate out enough water. Your blood becomes too dilute and your electrolytes can become imbalanced. This can be life threatening but is very rare. Talk to your primary care provider if you have concerns that you are drinking too much water but if you follow the recommendations above, you should be fine
Share your tips below on getting your daily water intake goals.
Also, see other recommended daily allowances of vital vitamins and minerals at
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