Do you know where the idea of drinking eight glasses of water per day came from? Neither does anyone else.
Yet many nutritionists, weight-loss experts and general health gurus claim we must drink that much every day.
I certainly tried to do it. I would drink coffee in the morning, then maybe force down a glass of water. By the time I had sweet tea with lunch, I was not thirsty but would try to choke down two more glasses of water in the afternoon.
By the time I had a glass of wine and more tea for supper, I was full – and facing five more glasses of water! I just could not do it day in and day out.
I know many of you can, and I’m proud of you. But for the rest of us who wallow in guilt, there is good news.
Before I get to that, let me reinforce the necessity of good hydration. Drinking water in adequate amounts is necessary for maintaining the organ systems. In a resting state, this is easy and can be done in many ways. But in times of vigorous physical activity or in high temperatures, consumption must be increased and maintained to keep the body’s core temperature from rising dangerously and to prevent...