“Drink 8 glasses of water daily, more if you’re active.”

We’ve all heard this advice, but it seems to raise more questions than it answers. Why should I drink water? How big should the glasses be? How much more if I’m active? Do other liquids count? Is tap water safe?

Here are some tips to help with the confusion:

Why drink water?

Drinking water is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your health.

• it helps to increase blood volume, which carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells and can decrease high blood pressure
• it is part of the fluid in our lymph system (immune system) which fights diseases - viruses thrive in dry environments and die in moist environments
• it eliminates waste via the kidneys
• it helps to soften the stool and prevent constipation
• it aids in temperature regulation and detoxification via sweat
• it promotes weight loss - we often think we are hungry, when it is simply a sign that we are dehydrated and need to drink

How much water is enough?

H20 needed (in ounces) = 1/2 body weight (in pounds)

For example, a 160 lb person should drink 80 ounces of water (160/2).

Since 1 glass of water is approximately 8 ounces, this person should drink 10 glasses (or 2.5 L daily.)

Add 1 glass of water for every half hour of exercise.

What type of water?

Distilled - all impurities (including minerals) are removed through boiling the water and the steam is recondensed into a clean container

PROS

• best choice for detoxification

CONS

• causes an acidic environment, in which minerals are leached from the cells in an attempt to balance. Be sure to supplement with trace minerals.
• environmental and health concerns with bottled water (see below.)

Spring - “bottled water”

PROS

• minerals are present in water
• free of most contaminants

CONS

• can be costly
• environmental concerns
  • high energy cost to recycle
  • bottles thrown into the garbage will leach plastic into landfills and take thousands of years to decompose
  • millions of gallons of gas are used to transport bottled water from the source to your local grocery store
• health concerns
  • estrogen in plastic may cause diseases such as cancer, thyroid problems, early puberty in children, etc.
• some large bottlers use reprocessed H2O from municipal water supplies and sell it at a premium (it is basically filtered tap water)

Tap Water

PROS

• readily available
• relatively safe to drink due to high standards of water treatment in Canada

CONS

• chlorine in water interacts with naturally occurring elements to form toxins called trihalomethanes, which may cause a variety of health concerns (asthma, eczema, bladder cancer, heart disease)
• destroys good bacteria in gut

Brita - ion exchange resin and activated charcoal

PROS

• reduces/eliminates lead, copper, aluminum, pesticides, chlorine, organic pollutants, hard calcium
• cartridges are recyclable
• filters tap water, therefore inexpensive

CONS

• bacteria will build-up if the filter is not changed on a regular basis

Reverse osmosis - semi-permeable membrane with charcoal filter

PROS

• filters bacteria, pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine
• inexpensive since uses tap water
• great for detoxification

CONS

• strips all minerals (fluoride, calcium, magnesium, salt, etc.) therefore important to supplement
• 2-3 gallons of water are wasted for each gallon purified

General Tips

• carry a water bottle (glass or stainless steel preferable)
• take small sips throughout the day - if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated
• if you are drinking enough water, your urine will be pale yellow
• add lemon, lime, cucumber or melon to make the water more palatable
• herbal tea counts as water
• drink water either 1/2 hour before meals or 1 hour after to prevent dilution of stomach acids and enzymes - this will improve digestion
• juicy fruits are also a good source of water
• caffeine is a diuretic, so it counts as negative water intake

If you are just starting to increase your water consumption, try drinking one extra glass each week until you have reached your desired daily amount. It is easier to make small changes over time than to make one big change all at once.