At the beginning of this year I made a decision: I WILL DRINK MORE WATER EACH DAY.
Why the sudden craving for the wet stuff?
All because I learned THREE crucial things about water:
- Without water, you get SICK more often. When you don’t get enough water, the colon sucks water out of your digestive tract, resulting in infrequent bowel movements and constipation. Not fun. Drinking more water can also help prevent nosebleeds, that yucky buildup of sick on your tonsils, and can soothe a scratchy winter throat.
- Without water,you start looking OLDER quicker. Hydration from water improves skin thickness and density, and helps to prevent dryness, flaking, and chapped lips. Hey grandpa!
- Without water, you get TIRED more quickly. Water protects sensitive tissue and keeps mucous membranes, like your nose and mouth, from drying out. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. (As I’m reading this right now and need a water break. Hold please…)
Conclusion of my Google research: if you don’t drink enough water you get more sick, old and tired. Yuck!! (I also Googled all THREE of those words together and THIS is what came up…)
Oh good lord.
So, how many glasses of water should I be drinking?
There’s no one-size-fits all answer:
Folklore says 8 glasses a day (64 ounces), The National Food and Nutrition Board says 84 ounces, and Harvard studies day 30-50 ounces (spread throughout the day) is enough.
What’s the right answer?
WHO THE HELL KNOWS!?
All I know is that I’m not getting ENOUGH.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED I WILL PASS DOWN TO YOU.
My first attempt to drink more water: counting bottles with this fansy lil’ Hydration Counter Bottle
The bottle has a built in COUNTER on its side so that I can keep track of how much water I drink.
And did I mention that it counts water?
Its holds 24oz of water so roughly 3 bottles a day and I’m fulfilling my goal. So far so good.
Do you need more water than me?
Take notes here: the answer is “maybe”
That’s because health and nutrition are very personal needs. Climate, body weight, the amount you exercise, these are all factors which may cause you to need more water.
