Let me just say right off that I am very much aware of the fact that this topic is extremely controversial. Everybody, including experts, have an opinion when it comes to how much water we should be drinking. In this article, I intend to present and debunk some common myths surrounding recommendations for drinking water to improve overall health. I totally agree that water is essential for daily health improvement. Why we should drink water and how much of it we should drink it, however, is where I don’t agree with most recommendations. I understand some experts will not agree with some points I intend to raise here. I encourage them to read with an open mind and respectfully disagree in the comments section.

#1 SHOULD WE REALLY DRINK EIGHT GLASSES A DAY?

NO! I am sure you have been told how much water you should drink daily for health. The first problem with this recommendation is that, it is too general. Take two sisters for example. One has a desk job and the other one is a very active basketball coach for a high school. One of them is mostly sitting down while the other one is constantly on the go. Common sense will tell us the body cells of each woman is going to demand different amounts of water daily to function. They cannot both function effectively on the usual eight glasses of water a day. One must need less than the other, right? In this case, one size does not fit all.

#2 CAN DRINKING WATER FLUSH AND MELT AWAY FAT?

NO! First of all, fat cannot melt in water. Fat is not water soluble according to basic science meaning fat does not dissolve in water. Try taking some animal fat from your cooking and dropping it  in water. Does it melt in the water? I don’t think so.

Second, did you know that  you can die from drinking too much water? Let me explain. Our cells need water to function properly. But drinking water too much too fast can flush so many electrolytes out of your system (especially sodium) and cause water to shift from outside of to inside the cells causing  your cells to swell. This causes you to feel bloated and “swollen”. Just imagine your brain cells swelling (not a great thought or feeling). The pressure from swollen brain cells may be have dangerous consequences to your health.

Lastly, water is not a broom that sweeps or flushes away anything. The human body simply does not work that way. In order to effectively lose weight, take gradual steps to eat healthy and exercise. There are no quick fixes to eat or drink quickly for fast weight loss. If there was, it would probably be boring. The process is what makes the journey exciting!

#3 DOES THE FEELING OF HUNGER SOMETIMES MEAN YOU’RE THIRSTY?

NO! The human body is pretty smart at giving you signals as to what is going on or what it needs at any given time. When you are tired and need rest, your heart rate slows down and you begin to feel tired. Then comes constant yawning. At this point, your body is not telling you to go run a marathon or to go hiking. It is simply letting you know that it needs to rest.

Same thing with thirst and hunger. The feeling of hunger means the body needs certain minerals and vitamins at that time. You won’t find them in water. You could drink something like pure organic coconut water or add Himalayan Pink Salt to your water to give the body some of the much needed nutrients. But plain water CANNOT replace food!

 I know so many people will disagree with me here. But think about this for a second. Why would your body tell you that it is hungry when what it needs is water? Why can’t it just tell you it’s thirsty? It is still capable of doing that, right?  We really have to stop drinking water unnecessarily especially to avoid dangers explained above. If you are hungry, please eat. If you are thirsty, please drink. Simple.

LET’S CONCLUDE

Now how does one know how much water to drink and when to drink? If your pee is as clear as the color of water, then your body is telling you to  slow down because you are drinking too much and too fast. If the color is deep yellow with an odor to it, you need to increase your fluid intake. If it is very light yellow, you are drinking just the right amounts. You see, your body knows what it wants and knows how to communicate its needs to you. Now you just have to listen and understand the signals. It is important to listen to your body and feed your body what it needs with the amount of food or water it needs. Anything less or more will have consequences that are less than pleasant. Make sure you check out www.ckmashfire.com every Monday for a brand new article from me.

COACHKAY

WLS, FNS (NASM)

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