There seems to be so much info on drinking water and how it flushes out bodily toxins, helps stop hunger pains and keeps our skin clear, but do we really need to drink 8 x 8 oz glasses of water each and every day?

At DietDitch we think it is a good idea, and if you are obese or have morbid obesity, (defined as having a BMI over 35) we think you may need more water than a person who has a correct weight to height ratio. Also if you are hitting the gym and going for power walks where you sweat a lot, try adding a couple of additional glasses, but be sure to sip it throughout the day rather than doing the gulp and guzzle.

Eating a diet rich in raw, live foods is beneficial because these foods contain lots of water. This is another reason to have a healthy diet the DietDitch way – you are literally eating your water. Watch out for diuretics in the diet, the food and drink which cause dehydration, such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and salty foods. If you consume these foods and drinks often, you should be increasing your water intake. Have you ever had a headache from over indulging in alcohol? This is related to the diuretic affect of the alcohol on the body.

Remember

One of the problems with our busy life style is we sometimes forget to drink water, and many of you may be thinking “well I drink plenty of other things so I don’t get thirsty”. I would suggest you give up some of the other drinks and make water your liquid of choice. Once you start drinking more water, you may experience extra thirst for a time. This is your body adjusting to the elimination of the undesirable liquids from your day. If you are not used to drinking water, you may find your trips to the bathroom become more frequent for the first week or two, but this evens out over time.

We advise you to drink two glasses first thing in the morning before breakfast then you only have 6 to go throughout the day. This is easy if you work out prior to breakfast, but not so easy otherwise.  I find it is best to drink it from the tap, however many of you will enjoy it chilled which is fine.

So can you over do it? Oh yes, you certainly can, resulting in a loss of electrolytes so just stick to our advise.

A Note on Sports Drinks.

If you are an athlete, please by all means have your electrolyte replacement drinks after an event. But for those of us who don’t fit into that category, LEAVE THEM ALONE. They are packed with calories that you probably will never burn off.

Filtered Tap is Best

If you live in the western world, just turn on the tap. It is so much cheaper and studies have shown it is just as good as your bottled types that cost so much to the planet as well as your bank balance. Invest in a water filter instead of paying for it in a plastic bottle.

Let’s do the Math.

Say you usually spend about $60 a month on bottled water and you invested that at 5 % interest over:

• 15 years you would have $15 950.00
• 20 years you would have $24 450.00
• 25 years you would have $35 300.00.

Nice! Open a bank account and call it your water fund. H2o, Water – Natures Wonder Drink.

Photo Credit: © Melinda Nagy | Dreamstime.com