Eight Glasses of Water per Day? Are You Kidding Me?…Yep!

Was it a cruel joke perpetrated by the bottled water industry? Was it designed, for some unknown reason, (maybe a nefarious government conspiracy) to get us all to pee more? No one is really sure where the 8×8 myth (we MUST drink eight, eight ounce glasses of water every day) came from. Where the myth originated doesn’t really matter, because most doctors and nutritionists now say that “rule” needs to go the way of similar myths, such as the one regarding not swimming after eating or that drinking Coke after eating Pop Rocks is lethal (Little Mikey from the LIFE commercial is still alive, by the way).

There is absolutely no scientific evidence to support the 8×8 claim. Go ahead, conduct your own research and you’ll quickly reach the same conclusion numerous medical professionals have reached. We do NOT need to drink that much water every day. Of course, there are extenuating circumstances when we do require that much water, such as during and after vigorous activity, after sitting in a sauna for three hours, how much water we acquired from the food we’ve eaten (more on this later), or certain medical conditions. But if you’re an average human with an average activity level, research suggests you’ll be fine with half that amount.

This doctor says drinking that much water might actually dehydrate rather than hydrate your body!

Look, our bodies are wonderful, self-regulating mechanisms. And the mechanism that regulates our water intake is…wait for it…thirst! Your body will let you know when to ingest liquids by causing you to be thirsty. It’s as simple as that. Generally speaking, if we sweat or urinate an excessive amount we need to replace that lost liquid and the sensation known as thirst helps us do just that. Hell, some people have taken this myth to the extreme by drinking TOO much water which creates a life threatening condition known as hyponatremia which creates a dangerously low sodium level within the blood.

In fact, if you consume the proper foods, you can get nearly all the water your body needs. And what are “the proper foods?” Why fruits and veggies, of course. The following are comprised of over 90% water…it’s like eating solid water that’s not ice! Topping the list are cucumbers, followed by celery, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, watermelon (duh!), spinach, star fruit, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, baby carrots, and cantaloupe.

So next time you walk around all day sipping from a bottle of water because you read some article that claims the 8×8 “rule” reduces urinary tract infections, headaches, and fatigue, or helps with weight lose, or improves concentration, just remember that there is little to no scientific evidence to support those claims. The new rule? Drink water (not sugary sodas, juices or alcohol) when you’re thirsty and you’ll be fine.

Steve, MagicKitchen.com blogger