Comments on: The Health Benefits of Water: Fact or Myth?

By: wheel

wheel — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:36:42 +0000

H2no, Please tell me that you are just being sarcastic because if you really think that some people drinking 64 oz of water a day is going to make that much diference in the “global shortage of potable water” then maybe you are dehydrated and having hallucinations. You need to have some water.

By: h2no

h2no — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:58:19 +0000

The anecdotal admonitions to drink X glasses of water a day – note that this implies that you do so whether you’re thirsty or not – under normal (read: not trekking / working in high heat) circumstances is, in my opinion, a recipe for exacerbating the already-endemic global shortage of potable water. It’s patently irresponsible – bordering on criminal – to exhort the population to consume a resource irrespective of their actual need to do so. Drink when you’re thirsty, period. Works for every other water-drinking creature on the planet, why shouldn’t it be good enough for you?

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:38:30 +0000

Hm..it may not be a ‘miracle drink’ per se, but since we know that dehydration is bad, and many other drinks have negative health effects, water is therefore good for your body.

How much water most likely depends on the person. I know that I feel exhausted during the day if I don’t drink enough water.

By: mesilla

mesilla — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:32:31 +0000

Your first bout with a kidney stone and water will be your new best friend. Trust me. I know.
The latest one just before I was drinking plenty of other fluids, but i KNEW I wasn’t drinking enough water, and sure enough the little devil reared its ugly little, sharp head.
I still say 8 glasses is a good guideline to adhere to, in my opinion.

By: katie

katie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:00:58 +0000

The eight glasses of water means eight glasses of any liquid-coffee, milk, etc.

By: Miss Cellania

Miss Cellania — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:21:36 +0000

I knew that. I’ve gotten into many arguments with people who think coffee doesn’t count as water.

By: ACute Angle

ACute Angle — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:52:43 +0000

You know what just occurred to me that I think is kinda funny? For centuries, drinking water was considered to be unhealthy. And it was. Sanitation was poor and people were often getting water from the same source that they were dumping their waste into (still do to some degree) and contaminated water leads to all manner of nasties including dysentary, cholera, and typhus. Beer, coffee, tea, and any other beverage that required some amount of either fermentation or boiling of liquids were really the only things considered safe for consumption.

And now, it’s the opposite. Amusing, no?

(passes busily… ::g::)

By: kp

kp — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:18:09 +0000

I think all of the ties with drinking water and lowering cholesterol come from the tests… The tests they use for cholesterol, body mass index, etc, can have varying results based on whether you are dehydrated or not.

To be fair, though, the biggest change is usually seen in the index. I can’t believe you could actually change your cholesterol by 100 points that way.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:11:01 +0000

As a kid I was sick a lot of the time; think Exorcist to get the correct green visual. So I’ve always been a drinker over an eater because my body dislikes solids. I can easily consume 90 plus ounces of water in a day. And no, I don’t need to be in the bathroom all the time. I’m pregnant and that number is well above 100 ounces (and I’ll tell you that’s how much I need because I’ve almost passed out twice in the last 2 weeks from dehydration).

I think my point is to know your body. Sugar and caffeine make your body work harder to stay hydrated. That doesn’t mean you don’t need some sugar in your life but maybe not from a can of soda (which I love). That’s where I agree with Jennifer, water just really makes you reconsider what your eating. Having a burger and fries is a lot less appealing with water instead of Coke.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:21:23 +0000

Heather, I’m with you. I drink water almost exclusively and I can’t manage to get that much water. I’ve heard of drinking half of your body weight in ounces and that’s what I try to do. For me it comes out to 60 ounces a day and I feel great. I think I’d have to move into the bathroom permanantly if I tried any more.

I also agree with Jennifer on the gateway drink thing. I’ve felt better, wanted to eat better and laid off soda as much as possible since I started drinking water.