Drinking sufficient water

In Denmark we are currently being advised to dring 1½ litres of water in the course of 24 hours in addition to the other fluids we drink.

We are told that if you drink more, you are risking not only flushing sodium that you need out of your system but vitamins as well.

If you are fit it is easy to check whether you are drinking sufficient water - dark yellow, or yellow-brown urine when you pass it means you need more water. Clear pale yellow urine shows you are drinking the correct amount.

Another way of checking that works for most of us is to notice whether you are needing to wee less frequently than normal. If the answer is yes to this queston, you need more fluids.

I remember being told to pinch a bit if skin on the back if your hand for ten seconds. After letting go count how long it takes to return to normal. Well hydrated skin should bounce back almost immediately.

If you find that you are suddenly constantly thirsty it might be a good idea to get your blood sugars checked as one of the first signs of diabetes for me was the amount of liquid I craved as this was my bodies way of trying to get rid of excess sugar out of my body.

My craving went away when I started treatment for my type 2 diabetes.

Just catching up with Gransnet.
I heard a programme last night on the BBC World Service where several Muslim people were discussing fasting over Ramadan . They said even water was not allowed during daylight hours so many Muslims will drink quite a lot of water before daylight which lasts until sunset.

We all take in fluids in various forms - tea, coffee, beer, wine, lemonade and in soups and other foods. No need to go a bundle on drinking water unless you are thirsty.

The more water I drink the more I go to the loo, so cannot see that I need so much! Apart from having a very clean flushed inside not sure how much good it is doing but I carry on as fresh air and water are free and apparently the best beauty treatments you can have.

Tea and coffee are usually made with water, so count, So do vegetables and fruit.

God I am so sick of people buying in to the pseudo-science that says you have to drink shed loads of water. It’s bunkum. If you are thirsty, drink. That’s the way your body keeps you properly hydrated. I heard an eminent kidney specialist recently who confirmed that it’s a load of nonsense and it doesn’t even have to be plain water. He said that people are actually more likely to die from drinking too much water than too little!

…..not only that but drinking too much water causes your salt levels to drop….sometimes to dangerous levels … so beware!

Obsession with water is right. When we were kids we had cuppa tea before school ….. cup water with our school lunch and cuppa tea or milk with our cooked dinner at 6ish . Cocoa before bed at about 8:30. How come we all survived into adulthood. I understand the need for little more water when old …. but all these 18-50 year old walking around with bottles of water afraid they’re gonna pass out any minute ….. bloody neurotics!

xx

MaizieD

It's nonsense.

Liquid intake is important but tea, coffee, wine, etc are all liquid and will do just as well from the 'liquid' point of view. There may be other objections to them, of course, such as containing toxins or extra unnecessary calories, but as a contribution to liquid intake they are fine.

I say this on the authority of a close relative who has a Master's degree in Human Nutrition. I do realise that this will be scoffed at in some circles..

3 litres a day is ridiculous. You'd spend most of the day peeing it out again...

Or having to get up at night to pee!

Always been a keen drinker of H2O. I drink about 6-7 pints a day along with a glass of fresh juice and 2 coffees.i feel that it keeps me hydrated and any excess is naturally got rid of. My son also drinks alot water but my hubby and daughter less so. Isn't it down to the individual. I didn't know there was a chance of over hydration - never heard of it. Anyway I love water ???

That’s an awful lot of water to drink as well as tea and coffee. I don’t drink that amount and I have 3 small bottles of water and three fruit infusion teas daily! Also cup of normal tea! That’s quite enough for me

I love water, especially sparkling water, I actually prefer it to tea or coffee now.
I drink 2 litres a day, sometimes more if it’s really hot. I have low blood pressure and I crave salt when it’s particularly low.
Possibly my body telling me what to do?

I keep telling DH that he needs to add a splash of water to his whisky but he prefers it neat ?

I find that a pint of water with a small admixture of hops and barley always goes down well.

Whilst abroad, we were always brought a glass of water with the coffee. In some cafés and with some coffee, I think it was to take the nasty taste away!

Franbern

Not sure as to why you have a glass of water when about to have tea or coffee. Just have a larger mug or two cups of that tea.

@Franbern I love coffee but liken weak coffee to “maidens’ piss”. Hence a double shot black coffee and a small glass of water suits me fine. I don’t always have the water but sometimes feel it might be helpful ?.

I was having blood taken in the hospital after slow recovery due to Covid. Very experienced nurse couldn't manage to get it. Asked was l dehydrated and l had to confess being very bad to drink water ( especially with an overactive bladder!!) It frightened me a bit so l have improved at taking a few big glasses a day

I threshing stuff re hydration. I always mean to drink more water, but love my green tea! However I do sometimes get a headache which is painful and alleviated by water!

I used to live in Kuwait where it reaches 50 degrees Celsius. Salt tablets were advised. Now with controlled high blood pressure, salt is the enemy, but I believe it’s a necessity to stop dizziness.

There is so much information about drinking enough. Even Doc Martin raised that idea- but it doesn’t have to be water and not too much.
In a hot country I learnt that if I was suffering from muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness, I should eat something salty. The Crusaders kept salt fish to eat if they felt unwell like that so it’s nothing new.

Not sure as to why you have a glass of water when about to have tea or coffee. Just have a larger mug or two cups of that tea.

It's simply to help us drink more water - the filter jug is beside the kettle so we see it when we go to make tea or coffee. While we make the tea we have a small glass of water. Then sit down and enjoy our cup of tea and a biscuit. It's surprising how many small glasses of water you can drink in a day without even noticing it.

Talking of sodium levels, we were in Darwin, Oz, at an incredibly humid time of year - after being outside for 10 minutes or so I was so hot and sweaty I could honestly wring my hair out.

We were told repeatedly to drink plenty of water, and we did, but after a while I started to feel incredibly tired, and only then remembered how, when we were living in Oman where it was also extremely hot and humid for a couple of months every year, everybody took salt tablets - dispensers were supplied by dh’s company.

So at lunchtime I put plenty of salt on my chips, and felt miles better soon afterwards.

Salt has become a dirty word, but in some circumstances a top up may be needed.