Do 8 glasses of water a day keep the doctor away?

Michelle Obama said in a former statement, "If we were to go one step further to make ourselves or our families healthier, probably the only best thing we could do is simply drink more water". Now you will tell me we already knew this, because we are all aware that water is inextricably linked to our body, as 70 percent of it is made up of water. However, the truth is that no scientist has given us the exact amount of water that we could use as a benchmark to know if we drink a lot or not. Some say 1 liter a day, others 2, some much more. But what is true?

And who hasn't wondered how many glasses of water we should drink a day? The answer depends on who you ask. Many believe that we should consume eight (8) glasses of water every day. Rest assured that the bottled water industry has no argument for this. But hydration experts are not sure where the 8x8 rule came from.

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U.S. Army researcher Mike Sawka believes that the roots of this theory came from a study of rodent hydration in 1993. Research led to the recommendation of 2.5 liters or 84.5 ounces of water (1 common ounce = 28.35 grams) per day for a moderate human physical activity, which replenishes the water lost through sweat and various secretions. I know it sounds like a lot, but he does not mean we should drink so much water. He states specifically that 20 percent of these 84.5 ounces of water come from foods that contain a lot of water, such as soups, ice cream, celery. That leaves 67.6 ounces of water, or about 8x8 glasses.

Only you do not really need eight glasses a day. These include other beverages, even if they are caffeinated. On the other hand, Douglas Casa, from the Physiology and Exercise University of Connecticut, points out that "the body's need to keep it hydrated, at the slightest effect of caffeine, can cause it to lose fluid".

After all, we should note that it is not necessary to drink eight glasses of water a day for fear of becoming dehydrated. This is not the case. The basic rule is: Drink water if you feel thirsty, if not, do not do it. Of course, as there are exceptions to all the rules, so are here. If there is intense training involved and the body is exhausted, then drink much more water, it is useful and necessary.

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Of course, if you are still worried that you are not drinking enough water, check your urine. Stella Volpe, from the University of Pennsylvania, says, "Dark yellow urine is the color of dehydration and should be checked." Of course, this has to do with the quality of the water you drink. If you want to be calm, then it would be good to use special water filters that protect you from harmful substances and at the same time improve the taste and smell of water.

Primato Hellas, WATER FILTERS, Grigoriou E' 34, PO Box 54248, Thessaloniki, +30 2310 383 588.

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