The question of how much water we should consume in a given day seems to be one that has alluded many of us for quite some time. You hear one thing only to have another source contradict it, making it rather difficult to designate what the proper amount of water is to be thrown down the hatchet on a daily basis.
Personally, I drink about four litres of water a day, sometimes more. This is a lot of liquid I realize, however, the treatment I am using for Lymes disease requires I drink this much. Most of us arguably do not drink this much water in a day, although I do know people who do by choice.
I thought I would do a wee bit of research to see if I could fine a consistent recommendation for the amount of water to drink in a day. This following information comes from health.harvard.edu.
“The daily four-to-six cup rule is for generally healthy people. It’s possible to take in too much water if you have certain health conditions, such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver, or heart problems; or if you’re taking medications that make you retain water, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opiate pain medications, and some antidepressants.
“How much water a day should you drink if you fit into that category? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Dr. Seifter says water intake must be individualized, and you should check with your doctor if you are not sure about the right amount for you.
“But even a healthy person’s water needs will vary, especially if you’re losing water through sweat because you’re exercising, or because you’re outside on a hot day. If you’re wondering how much water you should drink on those occasions, speak with your doctor, but a general rule of thumb for healthy people is to drink two to three cups of water per hour, or more if you’re sweating heavily,” the web page states.
I guess the answer to this debatable question remains vague, but, really, this is the most realistic and logical recommendation I’ve seen. We are all different, with bodies that require different needs at different times, so, really, how can one set recommendation for water consumption be applicable to all of us?
ontheedgeofeverything 