I have written a post that lists several rules about how to be healthy but most people probably won’t follow them because it’s too much effort to even learn the rules never mind follow them.
So in the spirit of keeping things simple I thought I would list here my top recommendations for staying healthy. This list is based on my opinion of what the common denominator is among health advice I respect.
- Drink enough water (avoid soda)
- Include fiber in every meal possible (beans, whole grain, vegetables)
- Be physically active
- Relieve stress often
There are many other areas of health that I find important and if you want to follow them I suggest you read my post Rules for Good Health.
I have read recently that if you want to make changes to your life that you pick only one thing to change and focus on that for one month. So if your goal is to be more healthy then decide for the next 30 days to drink 2 liters of water a day. After 30 days choose a new goal to accomplish. The easier you make the goal the better as it will increase your chances of success.
August 7th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Just in case you missed it, the myth of drinking water was dispelled last year (actually probably prior to that, but that’s when it hit the news):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89323934
The consensus now is pretty simple: drink when you’re thirsty.
August 8th, 2009 at 7:07 am
I removed the specific recommendation for the amount because I have no real basis for the amount of water.
I should say though that being thirsty is pretty subjective and some people don’t even know that they are thirsty. I think I read that 30% of people think they are hungry when they are really thirsty.
Also if you increase the amount you drink you naturally become more thirsty in general. Did the body actually increase it’s need of water or did it start realizing what it has been missing?
In my experience people ignore their bodies and don’t give it what it needs. They will drink things that dehydrate them like coffee or soda to “quench their thirst”.
I don’t like this comment from the article: Adding a few extra glasses of water each day has limited effect. “It’s such a tiny part of what’s in the body,” says Goldfarb. “It’s very unlikely that one’s getting any benefit.” His full editorial is published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
It sounds like opinion to me.
Every cell in your body depends on water and you loose it thoughout the day. I would be interested in tests that monitor both groups of people. The ones that drink maybe 2 liters a day with ones that drink 8 oz a day or less.
I don’t know what amounts they are referring to in the article. I mean are they comparing someone who drinks 8 oz with 2 liters or is it more like 2 liters to 4 liters.
I doubt there would be much benefit to 4 liters vs 2 liters but that is a guess on my part.
I actually know a couple people who drink 2 gallons a day which I think is a little extreme.
August 8th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Well, you also have to realize that we also get water from other drinks and food in addition to drinking it straight. So, a specified recommendation for a certain amount is very trivial.
See this article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/drinking-eight-glasses-of-water-a-day-is-healthy-right-wrong-803993.html
You become thirstier when you drink more… huh? I don’t, unless it’s alcohol
The latest research shows the amount of fluid in coffee and soda actually cancels the diuretic effect of caffeine*. So, they cancel each other out.
*My girlfriend’s an RD, but I also Googled this.
Regarding: “It sounds like opinion to me.” It was opinion. It was an editorial. But, usually editorials follow popular opinion of the journal.
Lastly, there is also the danger of water intoxication, which is caused by drinking too much water and can lead to death (like in the case of the “hold your wee for a Wii” contest).
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/too-high-a-price-for-a-wii/
August 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
You become thirstier when you drink more… huh? I don’t, unless it’s alcohol
What I mean is if you push yourself you start drinking a larger quantity over a period of time you will find your self needing that amount in terms of thirst. At least this has been my experience and I have also heard the same from others.
From what I remember reading your body can process up to 15 liters of water a day.
August 10th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Well, that’s the first time I’ve heard that, so I can’t comment. I think there’s probably a psychological effect there (e.g. I like drinking tea around 3pm and my morning feels incomplete without fruit. I also feel naked without my keys/wallet/iPhone).
The Mayo Clinic has some good advice about water intake:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
They have a recommendation for eight, 8oz glasses of water a day. But, that seems more of a rough guideline for those concerned that they aren’t getting enough water (as you described earlier, we’re probably not the best judge of when we actually need water). Personally, I just keep my water bottle near me at all times and drink water with nearly every meal.
The big problem is that we have moved away from listening to our body. We have an innate ability to tell when we are hungry and thirsty. But that is disrupted by parents trying to force their kids to eat when they don’t want to (this was popularized by the “Clean Plate Club” movement).
August 10th, 2009 at 11:10 am
I’m foreseeing a comment that will say “didn’t you just contradict yourself?”. Well, the Mayo Clinic is quick to point out that there’s no evidence that following the 8×8 rule is beneficial. But, if you ignore your body’s signs of thirst, then it’s probably a good idea to do something about it.
Also 64 ounces a day is a pretty small amount of liquid (not just water). A pint glass is 16 ounces and a coffee cup is 8 ounces. My water bottle holds 25 ounces. So, if I use a pint glass for each meal and fill my water bottle 2/3rds of the way, I’ve had all the water I probably need.