How Much Water Should You Drink A Day For A Healthy Body

Our body is almost 60% water, more or less. We constantly lose water from our body, primarily via sweat and urine. There are many diverse opinions on how much water you should drink on a daily basis. The health experts normally suggest eight glasses of 8-ounce, which equals around 2 liters (i.e. half a gallon). This is often referred to as the 8×8 rule and is really easy to remember.

However, other health experts are of the opinion that we are always on the threshold of dehydration and that we should sip water frequently throughout the day… even if we are not feeling thirsty. Off course, this depends on person to person and there are a lot of factors (both external and internal) that in due course affects our need for water.

Water is essential for carrying nutrients to our cells, flushing out all bacteria from our system, averting dehydration and restoring water lost from sweating.  The Harvard Health Letter has recently published some water recommendations challenging the age-old rules on how much water should you drink a day. They recommend drinking 30 to 60 ounces on a daily basis, which is the same as approximately 4 to 6 glasses of water. Harvard team isn’t just advising water to drink as per these standards, but all fluids on the whole to help in hydration. Certain foods like spinach, lettuce, watermelon, and soups give our body the fluids that can work concurrently with water to preserve and process required amount of water. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant and those who participate in a lot of exercise might need more than the average 6 glasses.

How much water should you drink a day – Ideal water guide:

1. After waking up drink around 2 to 4 glasses of water (i.e. 800 ml)
2. If you follow a sedentary lifestyle and work in an air-conditioned atmosphere, don’t drink above 2 to 2.5 litres of water in a day
3. For moderate workers, it is significant to drink about 3 litres of water
4. How much water should you drink in summers? In summers keep your body hydrated by drinking water regularly. If you don’t suffer from blood pressure or diabetes, having glucose or electrolyte water is also wise.

FAQ’s on how much water should you drink a day:

1. When should you drink water? After having your meals wait at least 1.5 hours before consuming water.
2. How much water should you drink after meals: As much as you desire. However drink it slowly sip by sip.
3. Is it advisable to drink water before meals? Yes, although it should be consumed at least 48 mins before meals.
4. Is it advisable to drink water in between your meals? Yes. If you feel the need, you can drink few small sips only.
5. What can one drink right after Meals? You can drink fruit juices but that too only after breakfast, as enzymes help to digest fruits which we normally eat in breakfast, after afternoon meals lassi and after dinner you can have milk.
6.  Can I drink tap water? It depends. Some traces of water contaminants in some cities and your area might be included. But some people still find tap water safe to drink. If you’re still hesistant you can use under-sink filters to ensure safe water in the household.

How much water should you drink a day to lose weight fast?

Drinking water can also help in losing weight, whether you are curbing your calories or not. As per a 2015 clinical study, drinking two cups of water before food has helped a group of overweight adults lose upto two pounds over a period of twelve weeks without making any other changes to their standard intake. If you are following a diet for weight-loss, drinking two cups of water before meals can help you lose more weight. The study compared the effects of consuming or not consuming water, and it found the water drinkers managed to lose 4 more pounds as compared to those who don’t drink the water before meals over the twelve week time frame of the study.