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How Much Water Do You Drink Daily

Table of Contents How Much Water Do We NeedBenefits of WaterFactors of How Much Water You NeedQuick Tips…
girl showing how much water one should drink
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How much water do you drink every day? It seems to be a simple and ordinary question, but it’s in fact a very important one.

Doesn’t it make you wonder if the amount of water you drink daily is sufficient or not?

Most of us don’t really know how much water we should be drinking. Or even if we do know, are we really having that much water daily?

Quite recently, my younger daughter started losing hair on a portion of her head. We took her to the doctor, a trichologist, who asked her how much water was she drinking.

This one question helped me discover the reasons behind my daughter’s misery if hair loss.

Well, it turned out that she was hardly drinking enough water. She used to hardly have about 3-4 glasses per day, and sometimes not even that much!

The doctor told us certain things that I didn’t know before, and thought it best to share it with all of you.

As concerned parents, we also asked the doctor that how much water does one really need. And also, what happens when we don’t drink the required amount of water.

“Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody.” ~ Mark Twain

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How Much Water Do We Need

You all know that water is one of our lifelines – it’s not just a worthless, colorless, and odorless liquid.

Various studies show varying recommendations, but the reality is that the requirement of water for your body depends on many factors. This includes how active you are, your health, and where you live.

Daily you lose water through your breath, urine, bowel movements, and perspiration.

For your body to function normally, you need to replenish the water supply by consuming foods and beverages that contain water.

According to the Institute of Medicine, a healthy adult living in a temperate climate needs roughly 3 liters of total beverages a day. The adequate intake for women is 2.2 liters of total beverages daily.

Just remember to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids daily.

Did you know that water makes up nearly 60% of your body weight? Also, did you know that every system in your body depends on water?

Benefits of Water

Water is essentially a provider of minerals to our body. Our body has limited ability to absorb minerals solely through foods, thus water does rest of the work.

My daughter’s hair analysis showed they lacked minerals, which was one of the causes for her hair fall.

Here are a few other reasons why water is necessary and why its intake should be sufficient.

  • It carries nutrients to your cells
  • It flushes toxins out of the vital organs.
  • It helps to regulate temperature.
  • It provides a medium for biological reactions to take place in the body.
  • It provides a moist environment for the ear, nose, and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration that can make you tired because it drains your energy.

This could result in headaches, loss of concentration or memory problem, and mood problems. Or even constipation and kidney stones.

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“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” ~ Loran Eisley

Factors of How Much Water You Need

The following might increase the need for fluid requirement in your body:

1- If the environment isn’t favorable and high altitude

Hot and humid weather can make you sweat, and you would need additional fluid. Your skin can lose moisture during wintertime in heated indoors.

Even high altitude triggers rapid breathing and increased urination, which use more of your fluid reserves.

2- If there is increased physical activity

If you exercise or walk briskly in such a way that it makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the loss of fluid.

If you don’t know how much water to use at such times, just remember that 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water would suffice for short bouts of exercise.

You would need more water for longer periods of exercises. Most people use a sport drink that contains sodium. This helps replace the lost sodium in sweat, and continues to replace fluids after you end exercising.

3- If you have an illness or other health conditions

When you have diarrhea, fever, or vomiting, your body loses fluids. At such times you need to drink more water.

Similarly, if you develop certain conditions like some type of adrenal, kidney, and liver disease, or heart failure – it might impair the excretion of water. It may even require that you limit your fluid intake.

4- If you are pregnant or breast-feeding

Such women need more fluids to stay hydrated because lots of fluid is used while nursing.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women should drink 2.3 liters of fluids every day. Similarly, women who breast-feed should consume 3.1 liters of fluids daily.

So, how much water you really need depends a lot on the above conditions, beside other factors.

Drinking water is the best way to replace lost fluids in the body. However, other liquids that are also effective are milk, tea, fruit juice, soup, and sports drinks.

On an average, you get 20% of your total water intake even from the food you consume. Many fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelons are 90% or more water by weight.

I just wish my daughter starts having more of fruits, vegetables and water as well. That’s because the doctor mentioned that she lacked minerals in her diet.

Hope all of you are careful about how much water you drink daily!

“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” ~ Thomas Fuller

Quick Tips to Maintain Fluid Levels

If you don’t know how much water to take daily, or how you need to maintain fluid levels, try the following tips:

  • Start your day with a glass of water when you wake up. Thereafter have 3-4 glass of water within the next hour.
  • Keep a bottle of water near you all the time and keep sipping through it regularly.
  • Have a glass of water before and after every meal.
  • Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables because they have high water content.

However, be careful that you don’t drink too much of water because even that has its side effects that can harm you.

Hey! Let’s take a poll on how much water do YOU drink every day.

[polldaddy poll=6695335]

 Over to you

Do you drink enough water daily? Have you faced any problems when you don’t have the required amount of water daily? How much water do you think we need every day? Share your views below.

 

Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos

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Disclaimer: We're not offering any medical advice here. These ideas are for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always seek a professional medical opinion from a physician of your choosing before making any medical decision. The information provided here is not intended to be a substitute to the advice given by your physician or another healthcare professional.

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  1. Great article!
    I’m always looking for ways to improve my health, and I found this article to be very informative. I didn’t realize that I was probably not drinking enough water, and I’m going to start making an effort to drink more each day.

    I appreciate the author taking the time to write this article, and I hope it helps others to learn more about the importance of drinking water.

  2. Nice article..water is really very important part of our body.more than 70 percent of our body made by water.so it is very necessary to drink 3 to 5 litre water as per your capacity.

  3. Thank you for sharing the article.

    I would like to say that I am not agree with the tip “Have a glass of water before and after every meal.” It is because it is strongly advisable in Ayurveda not to drink water after meal because water tends to dilutes your digestive fire. And still if you want to drink, drink hot water.

    1. Hi Rachit,

      You are most welcome 🙂

      I agree with you, though some people do suggest drinking luke-warm water after giving a little gap, but it’s actually your own personal choice if you’d like to have it or not.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. 🙂

      BTW – Please do get yourself a Gravatar so that your profile picture is visible 🙂

  4. A very informative post on water consumption, water is absolutely essential for optimal health, the factors that you pointed out should be considered rather than just following the average recommendation of 6-8 glasses a day. And i believe if you cant do much about your health, replenishing your body with sufficient water daily is a first step towards a better health.

    1. Hi John,

      Sorry for the late reply – I guess I missed out on your comment 🙂

      Glad you liked the post, and yes water IS essential and something that most of us tend to ignore half the time. Yes, 6-8 glasses is usually what’s recommended, but a lot depends on the kind of food you have and your body too. It’s the best thing for your body for sure!

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views 🙂

  5. I drink enough water. I might even drink too much water. I get obsessive about my water intake. If my urine becomes yellow then I freak out until I have enough water. My friends tease me on how much water I drink, but hey it is better than me being an alcoholic : D. Lovely article because water is the lifeblood of humans.

    1. Hi Sebastian,

      Good to know that your water intake is sufficient 🙂

      Yes indeed, the urine color is often the first indication whether your water intake is good enough or not. It’s better to have more of water than not have enough of it, though too much of it can also at times have it’s problems. I think it all comes down to how much you are comfortable drinking – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with us 🙂

  6. Water is infact our lifeline. Drinking plenty of water helps us remove toxins from our body and keeps our body hydrated, but now the issue is how much is too much. I nave been reading comments of Aditya above, it is very difficult to put an ideal amount of water to be consumed by an individual on daily basis as excess consumption might also lead to severe health conditions. I think the ‘ideal’ amount varies from person to person depending upon an individual’s body structure and various other factors such as living conditions, atmospheric temperature, activity level etc.

    1. Welcome to the blog Ravi!

      Yes indeed, water IS our lifeline, and if we don’t drink enough water, we do face many health problems.

      I agree, it’s tough to make out how much water is enough or not enough because everyone’s body requirement is different – and the other factors as you mentioned. I guess what really works is that you have enough to keep yourself well hydrated and don’t go overboard with what is generally recommended as that can sometime affect you adversely too.

      Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  7. Thanks for sharing this valuable post in summer session.
    Daily 1.5 liter to 2.7 liter is sufficient for the young people.

    1. Hi Bhanu,

      Glad you liked the post, and yes, it’s good to drink as much water as you can, especially during the summers. How much you can drink or the amount your body can take, would depend from one person to another.

      Thanks for stopping by 🙂

  8. Here is what I have noticed. I work from a desk for around 8 hours a day. If a glass of water is not on my desk, I will not drink enough water by the end of the day. Taking a few sips now and then as I work is what helps me reach the necessary 6-8 glasses a day.

    1. Hi Matthew,

      Absolutely! This is something that happens with most of us who sit for long hours in one place. I guess we tend to get quite lost in our work to even think or feel thirsty. Keeping a bottle of water near my workplace is something I also started and it does work wonders, just the way you use your glass of water. 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

    2. I just recently started doing this actually. I found I was feeling really sluggish and just generally dehydrated throughout the day. With an office job, sometimes it can be hard to keep your water intake at the right level. But I brought a cup that I always have filled with water and I’m able to just take sips every once in a while. I’ve been feeling a lot better, and it’s all just because of water intake!

  9. I totally agree with this. I’ve been following this habit for 7 years now and I think this has helped keep a balance in my diet and overall health.

    1. Welcome to the blog Krisca!

      Nice to know that you have been following this habit for a long time, so you must be knowing all about how much water we need to drink daily. It does help to keep the right balance for our bodies.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  10. Hi Harleena,

    How much water do you drink daily- is a very informative article. Number 5 sub-point was unknown to me at the section of benefits of water.

    Thanks for sharing.

  11. Harleena,

    Wonderful post. Indeed, you have analyzed like a doctor with valid points and consequences. True. Even we can skip a lunch if needed, but should not forgot to have enough water. Human body is kind of locomotive engine and it requires lot of fuel in the form of water to expel out the energy.

    With our busy work schedule, its very common we all tend to incline on less consumption of water. But the impact is really very bad. One good think, I grew up from child hood by hearing the importance of water consumption, since my father is a Doctor. But these days, I do admit that I am consuming less water than required. We should keep focused and can add some alert on mobile or laptop as gentle reminder.

    Thanks for sharing the post.

    1. Glad you like the post, Manickam!

      Water is life, truly, and we cannot keep our body deprived of it. You’re right – we should not forget to have enough water. Those who do, will face its dire consequences later in life, and that’s the dilemma. Since the repercussions of not drinking enough water are not spontaneous, we take it for granted and ignore the issue as insignificant.

      Your father was right; even I tell the same to my kids, but it’s not easy to make them understand the importance of water. I think the best way is to create a habit to carry a bottle of water with us, always.

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the post. 🙂

  12. Hi Harleena,

    I am so sorry to hear that your daughter is having such difficulties, but I hope that increasing her water intake remedies the situation rapidly.

    I like your suggestions of how to space out the timing of your water intake. I keep a water bottle with me wherever I go. I just pour water into a reusable bottle and take it with me. Once you get used to drinking water a lot, it seems wrong to not drink so much.

    Thanks for this important post, Harleena!

    1. Hope so too Carolyn!

      I have my fingers crossed. The medications along with the other food and water intake is going on full swing. The doctor did say that it will be a gradual process, so another one month and we will know how things are working for her. However, with winters setting in now – the water intake is a struggle with her still, but I’m trying to compensate that with warm fluids like soup etc.

      I’ve learnt this way works best, especially when you are always sitting and writing (like me). Keeping a bottle of water near me is working for me, or else how much water I’ve had always slipped my mind.

      Thanks for stopping by. Always nice to have you over. 🙂

  13. Harleena:

    Thanks for this informative post. I have seen your eloquent comments quite often in Corinne’s blog but have never stopped by. The ‘water’ in this post brought me here. I never even wildly attributed lack of water to hair-fall. This was an eye-opener to me. Way back in 2000, when I was an undergrad, it was found that I had a stone in my kidney. The reason was attributed to my drinking very less water. From then on, I started religiously and consciously drinking lots of water. And, now by default I drink bottles after bottles.

    Thanks for this post.

    Joy always,
    Susan

    1. Welcome to the blog Susan!

      I guess we have Corinne to thank for connecting us up here, and I am glad you stopped by. 🙂

      You are absolutely right about lack of water as being one of the reasons for hair fall, something we also never really knew till we visited the doctor for our daughters problem.

      Yes indeed, kidney stones are also known to occur due to lack of water, though again I guess you wouldn’t have known until you had the problem and the doctor told you about it – isn’t it? Nice to know that it made you change your habit of drinking water from less to more.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  14. @Harleena… Kids do learn their habits from their parents. Like I said, I was told, “Drink water because it’s good for you.” And…my parents hardly bought pop. The only time they bought it was for a party. They saved money at the grocery store by not buying bottles and bottles of pop.

    1. Mine did the same Amandah. We were given the liberty to have such drinks only when we went out or for parties, and it was never kept at home. I guess besides the money that’s saved, it’s also instilled as a good habit.

      Thanks 🙂

  15. I love water!

    Thankfully, my parents didn’t allow us to drink “pop or soda” all of the time and encouraged me to drink water because it’s good for you. The only time I had fruit juice was at school. I’d pack a Hi-C, Little Hug, or Capri Sun. In the summer, we’d drink Kool Aid, iced tea, or lemonade here and there with an occasional pop/soda (mostly at birthday parties).

    Fast forward to the 21st century and children are addicted to drink “pop or soda.” I can’t believe how much my niece and nephew drink. They can polish off a 2-liter or 24 pack in no time. I thank God my parents had enough sense not to allow us to drink pop/soda or other sugary drinks every day. I wonder what my teeth would look like if they did. Yikes!

    1. That’s wonderful indeed Amandah!

      Your parents did a very wise thing by not allowing you to drink all those drinks and encouraged water instead, which is why you like it so much now. My parents did the same, and we were allowed these drinks only when we went out or at birthdays.

      I was good with drinking water and never really had to think about how much water have I had because when we are happily playing and active all the time, the intake it much more. Overtime, it lessened a little, though am glad I’ve started working back on it and trying to make it the recommended 8 glasses.

      Ah…kids nowadays aren’t really able to control themselves and have to be literally told to drink water, though am glad my kid’s don’t have that habit because we never encouraged such drinks at home either. I guess we as parents also have a major role in stopping our kid’s from drinking them and if we don’t bring them home, perhaps they won’t have it too – isn’t it? But the training must start from the time they are young.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with everyone. 🙂

  16. Hi Harleena,

    This is a great reminder. I do try and drink my 8 glasses, and have one of those new plastic glasses with a straw that I just sip on every day. Hope your daughter’s hair situation improved with drinking more water. It gives us more energy when drink water as well.

    Thanks for sharing!

    1. Glad you could resonate with the post Cathy!

      I love the idea of having a straw to sip your water gradually so that you don’t really feel like you are gulping down too much of it. This ways you really don’t realize how much water you’ve really had, though of course you would need to count the number of glasses before hand so that you don’t have it in excess.

      i am still trying to get her to drink water, which isn’t easy nowadays because of the winters setting in. She takes it in other forms though, as in soups, coconut water, green tea etc., though nothing as compared to water.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  17. Lots of great information here!

    I do not drink enough water, although I’m really trying to do better. I’ve noticed that when I’m not drinking enough, I’m more likely to get a migraine. So I’m really motivated!

    1. Glad you liked the information shared Galen!

      Most of us don’t realize the importance of water till we are reminded of it, but what matters most is that we make a start and carry on with it. I guess it only has benefits and would keep us away from health issues – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by, and I’m sure your migraines would stop once you take the recommended amount. 🙂

  18. Water is my drink of choice. I can not have a meal without it. I love it. This was not always true. As a teenager, I did not drink enough water and I thought feeling lousy was just a consequence of the heat where I lived, now I think I was dehydrated and didn’t know any better.

    1. That’s wonderful Claudya!

      It’s very rare that we come across people who are really fond of plain water or drink the recommended amount. Ah…those teenage years…ask me as I see both my daughters drink less of water because they prefer either the fresh juices or lime juices, or anything sweet or then aerated (though we don’t use them at home but have them when we go out). As parents, we are in the process of shifting them onto having more and more of water now.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  19. No, I do not – I do better at my day job at my desk with 2 bottled water but come the weekends I totally forget especially when I’m working online. I’m thirsty right now so I must be way behind in it today. I do find if I’m tired or wiped Gatorade helps but if I drank enough water in the first place I’d be much better off, right? If it keeps your sinuses, etc moist it must help us not get sick too. Great info Harleena!

    1. Don’t worry Lisa – your’e not alone!

      I guess when we are working or writing sitting at our desks all day long, we do alright where water is concerned. I am another one like that because I place my bottle now near me so that I’m reminded to drink it whenever I see it. But yes, on the weekends everything goes haywire, unless you again sit and work on your desk, which is rare – so the water intake suffers then. Same is the case when we have holidays or aren’t really working.

      I really can’t say about other kind of drinks you can use in place of water as I don’t drink them, but I know that you really cannot replace the goodness of water with anything. But yes, if you have problems drinking plain water, any kind of fluid intake would work in it’s place, rather than not having any.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  20. Water does a lot of good things which we tend to take very lightly. I always begin my meals with a glass of water. And now with going to the gym regularly, I am drinking more. Also, because I live in such a hot country, I tend to drink more.

    I feel many people this end, because of the constant air conditioning don’t tend to their “thirst” needs as much as they should. I know people who manage with only 3 glasses per day because they don’t “feel” thirsty. For me, the trick is to keep sipping rather than gulping down glasses at one go!

    A very informative read!

    1. Absolutely Hajra!

      We often neglect the goodness of water and think about how much water we should be having after we are reminded of it. Starting your day with a glass of water is a great way, something that I also do, though I’ve now started making an effort to drink lukewarm water and up to 2 glasses at one go, and then one more glass after half an hour.

      Oh yes, when you work out more and even the weather is hot, water consumption does increase, which is good. You are right about people generally remaining indoors within their air conditioners, which makes them less thirsty and this further adds to their health problems. I love your trick of taking small sips and as long as you drink the recommended amount of water, how you drink it doesn’t matter much I think, though having maximum water the first thing in the morning takes care of the rest of the day.

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the post. 🙂

  21. Hm.. nice information about how much we need to drink daily. As we know 8 glass of water is a daily intake for us.
    I really love this article

    1. Welcome to the blog Zolar!

      Glad you liked the information shared about how much water we should ideally be drinking. It’s good if you are able to drink 8 glasses per day, which is the recommended amount.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  22. Hi Harleena,

    I love all your articles as they all discuss about our life & surrounding. Definitely water is life. It makes us live for next day & after day. Everyday if we drink 8 glasses of water, it is alright. But most of us don’t follow these. We take it carelessly. But when we fall ill, we understand the importance of water.

    So if we drink water sufficiently, we can protect ourselves from different diseases

    1. Glad you like the articles Ahsan!

      Yes indeed, I try to share my own experiences that are related to the family, life, and self-development in whatever way possible to help others.

      Water IS life and knowing how much water you should be drinking is important as well. The recommended is 8 glasses, though you can increase the amount gradually if your body isn’t ready to take it all up together. Yes, if you drink adequate amount of water, the chances of you falling ill are less.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  23. Hi Harleena,

    I can tell you right away that I am NOT drinking 2 liters of water a day, but I do drink a few glasses. I don’t think that over 2 liters is possible for every single individual. For me, for example, drinking that much water makes me feel sick, life kinda nauseous. So, I drink what my body ask me which is maybe 5 glasses a day.

    However, I do not drink soda AT ALL which is full of bad stuff for you and I drink ONLY a rather small cup of coffee when I wake up in a morning and I am DONE for the day. And of course being French I drink my little glass of wine with my meal. Can’t help that!

    Thanks for this reminder, Harleena!

    1. That’s perfectly alright Sylviane! And you sure aren’t alone 🙂

      I guess those who have 8 glasses or more of water per day wouldn’t find drinking 2 liters or more of water much of a problem. And even the weather conditions, besides your activity level play an important role to determine how much water your body really needs.

      You sound quite like me, and even Mayura in some ways, because the first time I tried to count and really drink those 8 glasses of water – I felt sick, and bloated! However, when I started to increase the water intake gradually, it worked well and that’s what I’m trying to do with my kids too now – hoping it works with them as well. 🙂

      I agree about soda and aerated drinks, which are kind of banned at our place too, though being kids we let them have it occasionally when we eat out so that they really don’t feel the urge to have it. Ah…wine must be tasting good with your meals, which we have very rarely on certain occasions alone.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with all of us. 🙂

  24. Hi Harleena,

    This is an excellent advice 🙂

    I asked this question myself a few months ago 🙂 I do drink water, but only after meals and if I get thirsty which is mostly rare. I think it’s because I am not used to consuming much water since my childhood. I was hardly drinking 3 water glasses per day and as a lime juice addict, I had few more I guess 😉 I love having fruits too.

    I was suffering from constipation for quite time and took action when it occurred with medications. I found an article written about water on a local newspaper, and then I started to take action myself.

    Well, I’m not drinking 8 glasses yet. I started drinking a glass of water in the morning and from last month now I keep a water bottle next to my PC which reminds me of water 🙂 Also I drink water before (15 mins) meals and I just feel the difference. As I get used to it, now I need more water than before. It happens, right?

    Too much water? Ah it reminds me of something 😀 On the first day I got determined to drink 8 glasses, but after drinking about 4 glasses I couldn’t concentrate 😉 lol…

    Well, I have heard that drinking should be limited after 5 PM, and we should not drink over the limit right after a meal and right after exercises and so. Is there more such things we should be aware of? I did search online too, and there are different opinions.

    Now excuse me Harleena, I gotta empty my water bottle 😉

    Cheers…

    1. Glad you liked it Mayura!

      You are right that such a habit of drinking the recommended amount of water is something that needs to be started from childhood, though perhaps not 8 glasses for young ones. 🙂

      Ah…3 glasses is less but if you were having enough of lime juice then it’s as good as drinking water, though you can’t really have too much of it too – isn’t it? Lack of water results in many health problems, and constipation is one of them too. I am glad that once you changed your ways and started drinking more water, you saw the difference and feel better now.

      It doesn’t really matter if you can’t really drink all 8 glasses a day, because you get your required fluid intake from other food sources too. But yes, keep working to reach the level of 8 glasses, as that’s what is recommended. You seem to be doing exactly what I do too, as looking at the water – I’m reminded how much water I need to drink from time to time too. 🙂

      You experienced something like Sylviane mentioned when she tried having more water too, and this happens when we try to drink more water than our body can take.

      You heard very right about gradually reducing your water intake as the day ends, though it’s said that you should stop all kind of fluid intake 2-3 hours before you sleep, which is mainly so that you aren’t disturbed at night (to urinate). You shouldn’t have cold water soon after a meal too, and wait for half an hour or more to drink water too, though some people do sip warm water with their meals as it helps in digestion. I wonder about the exercise part, because I’ve mostly read that those who work-out or exercise regularly, remain well hydrated before their exercise and drink water even while their work-out or exercise. Yes indeed, there are various options and suggestions you would find online, but what works well for you and your body is what you should do, yet keeping the recommendations in mind. 🙂

      Alright…you go right ahead and empty your water bottle, while I sit and take a break and sip water too!

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the post. 🙂

  25. Hi Harleena,

    Thanks for the reminder. I know how important water is, but I needed a reminder to keep drinking more of it. I don’t drink enough! I try to, but always seem to forget.

    Also, I am a coffee drinker (2-3 cups per day) and when you drink that much, you need a glass of water to chase it! It deprives you of so much.

    As for minerals in water there is nothing better than that.

    Thanks so much for bringing this to people’s attention. Many are hooked on soft drinks, or other liquids full of sugar. Water is the healing force of life!

    Donna

    1. Glad you could relate to the post Donna!

      You surely aren’t alone where you need reminders about how much water you need to drink and when! It happens with me too because I tend to get carried away working and forget to drink water, so now I’ve started putting a bottle of water right near me and just looking at it reminds me to pick it up and drink it. 🙂

      Yes indeed, when you are having tea or coffee, you need water to even it all out. Other aerated drinks really do more of damage than good to us, yet people have them. Drinking freshly made fruit or vegetable juices are a better option, though nothing to match plain and simple water – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  26. Hmm.
    First, having a glass of water before every meal is a FANTASTIC idea. It cuts down on our food consumption. Secondly, it is important that one hydrates before one exercises. And, if we employ COLD water before that activity, it will help keep your core temperature down and attenuate any water loss. So, as a rule of thumb, one cold glass of water there.

    If one does not know how much water one really requires (the standard rule of thumb is 8 glasses of water daily), then one can start with the 8 (that’s 3 before each meal, one before exercising). However, if your urine output is not CLEAR, then you have NOT properly hydrated. That may be related to higher activity levels, higher general temperatures in the environment, etc.- but you are not adequately hydrated.

    One final note- please make sure that the water you imbibe is of sufficient quality- too many waters have undesired (and unhealthy) dissolved components….

    1. Glad you could resonate with the post Roy!

      Drinking water before meals makes you eat less I think, and this works well for those who are wanting to lose weight too – though it’s said to have it half to one hour earlier than you eat your food. Yes indeed, we need to drink enough water before exercising, though I didn’t know about cold water and it’s benefits. I have heard that if you drink warm water with your meals, it in-fact helps you digest your food better and lose weight too, though haven’t really tried it out.

      For some people starting off with 8 glasses of water becomes tough, and they often begin feeling sick if they drink so much at one go. I guess it works well to gradually increase your water intake in whatever way you like, and then reach to 8 glasses, preferably drinking most of it early morning and less as the day ends.

      Absolutely! You raised a very important point about the color of urine, which should be clear – as that indicates that you are well hydrated (unless you are under medication for some illness). If not, then you need to increase your water intake – this is a clear indication as well. Ah…yes the purity of water is important too, though most of us might be using good drinking water, but yes, for those who don’t, it’s a good reminder.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views and suggestions with all of us. 🙂

  27. Harleena, who would have guessed that water consumption has something to do with hair loss.

    I live in the Arizona desert where it’s VERY dry. When I first moved here I always felt tired and generally unwell. After a trip to the doctor I began to drink at least 8 glasses per day. I am also very active – walking, exercising, etc. I can definitely tell if I have not consumed enough water during the day. I wake up in the middle of the night not feeling well. There are so many benefits to adequate water consumption.

    Thanks for bringing this to the forefront. Suzanne

    1. Absolutely Suzanne!

      I couldn’t have ever imagined that my daughters hair loss was happening because she was not having enough water. It all became clear when the doctor asked us how much water does she drink, and that really woke us all up!

      You would know best having undergone the experience of not drinking enough water, and then seeing the difference when you did. More so, with dry climate, and when you lead an active lifestyle, you need to consume more than the recommended water intake to keep well enough. I guess once you make it part of your routine, it slowly becomes a good habit to follow daily – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with all of us 🙂

  28. Great post… water is so important, and it seems to be the easiest thing for me to let slide too. I’m back on the wagon, and trying to get enough water in my system again, after not drinking nearly enough and feeling really crummy for it.

    1. Glad you liked the post Jackie!

      Most of us tend to forget taking the required water every day, though when we sit and think how much water have we really had or when we are reminded about it, that’s the time we tend to take action – isn’t it? I guess as long as we realize the importance of having adequate water daily, it’s alright. 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  29. Bless her heart Harleena, hair loss. I would have never known that.

    So I use to drink about five diet cokes a day back in the day. When I was married my husband was a little chunky so he decided we were going to go to Weight Watchers together. That first class I learned how much sodium was in a diet coke so I got off of them that week. I dropped 9 pounds in five days all from water retention. From that day forward I only drink water and that was about 25 years ago now.

    I don’t even drink coffee, I’ve never acquired the taste for it. My skin is soft and I have plenty of energy. Now I continue to hear different “studies” of how much water is enough but since that’s all I drink every day and I keep a 16 oz. glass beside me every day, I fill that up at least four times a day. Once you get use to it then it’s just another thing that becomes a habit. And it’s definitely a great one to have.

    ~Adrienne

    1. We also never knew about it Adrienne till we were told after some tests!

      9 pounds in five days- and all due to water retention! You surely must have felt so much better and lighter after shedding all of that off. 🙂

      I used to have cokes too, but once in a while, but yes, water retention can occur due to high sodium intake, which we find even in our canned foods and beverages also. I guess we just need to be so-so careful about the food and drinks we consume.

      It’s wonderful if you don’t drink coffee because it surely has it’s side effects too, so does tea, though green tea and the herbal stuff is good and works as a wonderful antioxidant.

      Having soft skin and lots of energy are sure signs that your water intake is perfect. More so, when you aren’t really having anything else and mainly water, it must be working well for you. It’s a wonderful habit to have a glass full of water near you and keep filling it up, just as you do. I do that with my bottle of water near me, though slow down during the colder weather.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with all of us. 🙂

  30. I drink about 20-30 ounces a day. I always try to get my kids to drink it also, we have completely eliminated juice in our house, but I still drink herbal infusions and my hubby still drinks coffee. You should do a post on coffee.

    1. Glad you could resonate with the post Jodi!

      It’s a good habit to have kids and the whole family as such to drink water, starting with 1-2 glasses the first thing in the morning. Yes, we also don’t encourage any kind of aerated drinks in the house, though fresh juices are consumed once in a while for their health benefits.

      I’ve heard a lot about herbal teas and infusions too, so thanks for reminding me to look into that as a better health option. And yes, I shall take up your suggestion soon and write a post on coffee 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with all of us. 🙂

  31. Wonderful post!!

    I live in a very dry climate and we drink loads of water here in Colorado. I appreciate these great reminders, Harleena!

    1. Glad you could resonate with the post Betsy!

      It’s wonderful that you don’t have to worry about how much water you need to drink because of the climate in Colorado. I guess in such places the intake would be increasing to even 12-14 glasses per day in severe heat.

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  32. Harleena – I should confess that even though I am aware of all the positive effects of drinking water, I never keep up to it. I really have to change my habits and start having enough of water. I am sure it will lead to a healthy life and as you have pointed out, most of illnesses will be prevented.

    Let me go get a glass of water now 🙂

    1. You aren’t alone Praveen!

      I’m also guilty of not having enough water, especially during the winters. Otherwise too, it’s around 6 glasses per day, though I’m good with beverages, fruits, vegetables and everything else. But I am already working at making those to 8 glasses a day, which isn’t difficult if you keep a bottle by your side while you work. Invariably when you have one lying next door, you won’t think twice about getting up to fetch it, and you will be reminded about drinking water in-between work too – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by. Always nice to have you over. 🙂

  33. Hi Harleena,

    I had never heard of hair loss, because of lack of drinking water. I have heard of diet soda’s causing hair loss. It looks like I am doing ok in the water department between some coffee in the morning, water during the day and ice tea at night.

    I remember as a child always drinking water, because we would play hard and really get thirsty. Thank you for spreading the news about lack of water causing hair loss.

    Wishing you a wonderful day,
    Debbie

    1. It sure is a reason Debbie!

      But like you, I also never knew about it till it happened with my younger one. Nor would I’ve ever thought that such a problem could arise because of lack of water and minerals in our body. Yes indeed, a combination of fluids as you are taking do well as long as the daily intake requirement is met.

      Yes indeed, as kid’s we never faced such problems because we were always running around and playing, and that made us thirsty and wanting to drink water. Similar was the case with my daughter too, because this problem has just started 1-2 months back, even though she has been leading an active lifestyle as a young teen all this while, so makes me wonder. And it’s not even the hormones as I got those checked too, till I knew that it all came down to how much water she was drinking.

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the post. Have a nice day as well 🙂

  34. I can’t comment – I need to get a glass of water! Thanks for the awareness – I know I need to drink more and now I am ready to actually do it! Thanks – Judy

    1. That’s a good one Judy!

      Glad the post reminded you to fetch a glass of water before doing anything else. I guess we all need such reminders from time to time – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  35. I drink a lot of water, much more than the recommended 3 liters.

    Yep, this is a standing example of what low water intake can do. Who would’ve thought drinking less water can cause hair loss?

    This is a really good share and lets hope more and more people are aware of the importance of drinking adequate amounts of water that can drive away several lifestyle disorders.

    BTW from what I know, drinking too much water doesn’t cause any problems. and kidneys can filter as much as we drink. I maybe wrong, I’m not sure though.

    Thanks!

    Aditya

    1. That’s good Aditya!

      However, I wonder if you should really be drinking excess of water, though it would depend on how much your body can take.

      Yes indeed, hope people can learn more about how much water they actually need and how much water are they really drinking. It would certainly help keep away health problems.

      As per my research Aditya drinking too much water can lead to a condition known as water intoxication and to a related problem resulting from the dilution of sodium in the body, hyponatremia, which are mainly seen in infants and athletes. Being from the medical side you would know more about these terms, though I can explain in detail here too, but perhaps would keep the matter for a new post. 🙂

      The kidneys of healthy adults can process nearly fifteen liters of water a day, so you won’t suffer from water intoxication even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to having too much of it at one time. But all this could result in health issues too, so it’s better to stick to the recommended fluid intake – isn’t it?

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with all of us. 🙂

      1. Yeah exactly, with too much I meant somewhere around 12-14 liters. I just Googled this and found out another research saying that it can cause kidney damage as well. In the same page it said that 8 glasses too is too much, stating that the ‘dehydration’ myth is “Debunked nonsense”! (http://bit.ly/XgXC9w)

        Science huh? Can’t hate it and can’t live without it.

        I’m sticking to 8 glasses a day. Period.

        Aditya

        1. Yes, it can damage the kidneys too if it we take too much of water or our fluid intake goes beyond what the recommended amount is. Thanks for that link, which I’d also seen earlier, but as you rightly mentioned, you can never know about science and what to follow or not 🙂

          I agree to sticking to 8 glasses of water daily, and am sure they work well for you too.

          Thanks once again. 🙂

  36. Yes, human body is made of close to 70% water, one needs enough water to make up loss of water on daily basis.
    But,I wonder if there can be any single parameter to determine the volume. What our family Dr. tells us that an adult should intake not less than 4 Ltr of water.

    Hair loss? This is first time I am hearing this. How I wish I knew it before I started to lose hair!

    1. Absolutely BK!

      Our body is made up more of water than anything else, and we need to constantly replenish that lost water on a daily basis or else it could lead to dehydration, which has it’s own set of problems. As per research and a few sites that I’d seen, there’s no fixed rule about the amount of water one should drink because each one of our requirements differ. However, the recommended intake (as mentioned in the post) is what might work.

      Hair loss might be just one of the side effects of drinking less water that we know of, and you never know there might be many more that can surprise us too – isn’t it? How much water do you drink, or are you also drinking less water (just curious if that’s once reason for hair loss or could it be due to other factors like age, genes etc.)

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing the post. 🙂

  37. Hi Harleena,

    Thanks for this reminder. I was working on this during the summer. I had a die on my desk and would turn it each time I had a glass of water. I need to get back to that!
    🙂
    Lori

    1. Welcome to the blog Lori – nice to have you over!

      Reminders are what most of us need. Here too, we tend to forget how much water our bodies actually need, till someone reminds us about it – isn’t it? It took my daughters problem to make me realize the importance of water in our lives and take timely action. I guess I also need to put up an hourly alarm or have some reminder set up to drink water every hour if not earlier. 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  38. Dear me! I drink even less water than your daughter does! I do drink about 3 cups of tea. I know it’s not exactly the same, but sometimes I justify to myself that it’s still liquid 🙂

    Actually, there IS such a thing as drinking too much water. If you drink too much instead of flushing only toxins out, you can start flushing minerals out of your body – by urinating too much. I know this sounds like old wives’ tales, but I heard it on the radio, following a research.

    After reading this post, I’m going to up my intake of water. It’s scary.

    1. Don’t tell me that Anne!

      I thought she was drinking too little, though even my Mom hardly used to have 2-3 glasses of plain water per day. She preferred juices or anything added to plain water! And yes, she used to love her cups of tea- so, I can understand the justification bit. 🙂

      I guess my daughter has taken after her, but even after knowing that it’s the lack of water that’s causing her hair to fall, she just can’t seem to drink more water than she is used to, though I keep reminding her to take small sips.

      Yes, too much of water isn’t recommended and that’s one reason they say to have the amount that your body requires. People tend to forget how much water their bodies need and either drink less or more of it, which causes further problems. That includes me too as in winters my intake takes a dip, whereas it shouldn’t because of the lack of moisture as a tis in the air.

      Thanks for stopping by and hope your water intake increases too. 🙂

  39. Hair fall? I never would have guessed. I’m glad you’ve found the cause, and hope your daughter will see the wisdom in following the doctor’s advice. I drink at 6 glasses of water everyday – more sometimes. I heard a while back that there was such a thing as drinking too much water which confused me. Despite the fact that I don’t exercise adequately, I do need to keep drinking water all the time.
    Thanks for the great wealth of information here, Harleena – as always!

    1. Exactly Corinne!

      I was amazed myself when I heard that the hair fall was due to lack of minerals that we get from water. I know she has less water, but then she has juices, and loves citrus fruits as such. Also, everything else is fine and working well with her, except for the hair loss, which again is only on the center portion – a little patch. The doctor advised us to give her coconut water and other things like dry nuts, green tea, more of soya bean seeds etc. So, the hair is growing back again, though it’s a slow process.

      6 glasses is alright I guess, though they normally recommend 8. It’s also said that you lose weight if you have more water, though again there are many pros and cons about that. Having too much of water such can cause problems, but I think if you are having other fruits, vegetables, juices, or even your normal tea, coffee, and other beverages, it compensates well.

      Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the post. 🙂

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