How Much Water to Drink a Day OR

How Much Water to Drink a Day

One woman is handing out reusable bottles in a women’s shelter. She defines herself as a ‘health coach’, but she’s not a trained medical professional. Instead, her encouragement comes from a love of plants and animals, plus the extra water she drinks to sustain her plant-based diet.

Food

via GIPHY

In 1945 the US Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council advised adults to consume one millilitre of liquid for every recommended calorie of food, which equates to two litres for women on a 2,000-calorie diet and two-and-a-half for men eating 2,500 calories. Not just water, that included most types of drinks – as well as fruits and vegetables, which can contain up to 98% water.

But this isn't necessarily a free pass to start pouring out glasses of sugary drinks to sip on at every meal. The United States Department of Agriculture's 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends choosing beverages that are calorie-free — especially water — to stay hydrated without unnecessarily consuming added sugars and saturated fats. In addition to good, old H2O, unsweetened beverages such as 100-perfect fruit or vegetable juice and low-fat or fat-free milk can help you score the right amount of water per day while "helping to achieve food group recommendations," according to the guidelines. Coffee, tea, and flavored waters are also healthful options for staying hydrated — just be careful of any added sugars and cream (both of which aren't great for you in large doses). (Source: www.shape.com)

Need

Keep Track By Your Container: One thing that has proven to help people consumer enough water daily is to buy a special container for their water, like this one or this one, and set a goal of how many times they will fill an finish the container. For example, if you buy a 16 oz container and need to drink 80 ounces of water a day, your goal would be to drink 5 of those daily. Need to drink more water? Try a larger container.

Each individual's needs are unique to them and depend on their health, age, size and weight as well as activity levels, the type of job they do and the climate they live in. Drinking little and often is the best way to stay hydrated. In the UK, the Eatwell Guide suggests you should aim for 6-8 glasses of water and other liquids each day to replace normal water loss – around 1.2 to 1.5 litres. Water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. (Source: www.bbcgoodfood.com)

Condition

Water is also an essential component of lubricants (e.g. synovial or "joint" fluid) that cushion your bones and reduce friction when you move. In other words, you can thank H2O for helping make physical activity enjoyable and reduce any potential discomfort caused by joint-related conditions such as arthritis. What's more, "your brain uses [water] to produce hormones and neurotransmitters," Maya Feller, R.D.N., a dietitian in New York, previously told Shape. And need not forget about the water's ability to ease skin dryness and, according to research, help reduce the risk of conditions, such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and hypertension. (Related: Can Drinking Water Actually Help You Lose Weight?)

Overall health: Because your body loses fluids when you have a fever, diarrhea, or vomitting, it's important to drink more water at this time and to always follow the doctor's recommendations if anything additional is needed (e.g. electrolyte supplements). Other conditions such as bladder infections also require an increased water intake; this helps dilute urine and ensure you'll go number one more frequently, thereby flushing out the bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Source: www.shape.com)