With the weather forecast predicting 90 plus degree temperatures, I thought it would be a good time to review the value of water. An article in The British Medical Journal states that drinking eight glasses of water each day for health is a myth. If so, what is the importance and usefulness of drinking water?
First of all, our bodies lose fluids each day that need to be replaced. Simply, our thirst tells us this. Exercise, the weather, illness and pregnancy are some of the more common events that increase our demand. So the main value of water is replacement, not to improve our health.
(Did You Know? As I reviewed previously, fluid replacement in general for exercise under an hour should be with water, over an hour, with a sports drink. Chocolate milk provides a good mix of carbohydrates and protein also.)
But, there are some exceptions. Drinking water before meals has been shown to decrease the number of calories we intake during that meal. Weight loss benefits from the satiation that water with zero calories provides. Substituting it for higher calorie soft drinks or alcohol also reduces calories. (Personally, I enjoy a mix of cranberry and soda water with a lime.) This week try a glass of water with each meal and one between and stay hydrated!