I know a lot of people that only drink 3 or 4 cups of coffee or tea and don't drink anything else for the day, i often wonder how many people out there are in a dehydrated state and what this does to our nerves over long periods.
Water is so necessary for survival, an average adult is made up of 60 -70% water, we can go without food for almost two months, but without water only a few days, every cell and every system in our bodies depends on water.

I have read that without water we'd be poisoned to death by our own waste products when your kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water. if there isn't enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones, water also is vital for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood and helps to cool the body through perspiration., also without enough water you could end up with excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive complications, muscle soreness, fatigue and headaches, water regulates our body temperature, flushes toxins out of your body and is essential for healthy skin, provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

You can easily get sick of plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor, water filters aren’t very expensive but do a pretty good job,, or by simply boiling the water first can change the taste of it.

The water needs are not the same for everyone, depends on the individual, where they live, exercise etc, the link below has a good explanation.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

About 4 cups of coffee, two or three cups of tea, about a liter of water, about 12 - 16 oz. of fresh juiced veggies and fruit a day, lots and lots of fruit and veggies (they're loaded with water), about 1 - 2 cups of soymilk on my morning cereal, one beer or one shooter of Scotch (neat) most evenings before cooking dinner, and soup at least twice a week.

I urinate a lot and often, especially with my benign enlarged prostate. As a runner I established a habit of drinking a lot (more than the above), and have a real craving for and enjoyment of liquid. I am not diabetic or prediabetic, so it isn't really thirst, its more just habit and a simple pleasure.

Being well hydrated promotes health, but I still have PN, and had life threatening pneumonia last year, so its not a cure-all.

David, my post wasn't meant to give anyone the impression that water is a " cure all " tonic, i wish it was, its a topic that is not talked about much but i think worthy of bringing up, as you said yourself, it promotes good health, which is the reason i posted it in the first place.

Brian-- I am guilty of not drinking enough water. I do drink at least 4 cups of coffee daily, if not more, and I do try to drink 2 bottles of water, yet I know it's not enough. Believe it or not, I have never muched care for water and contrary to most people, I prefer it is not cold from the fridge.

I am trying to teach myself to increase my water intake.

Nothing wrong with your 4 coffee's and 2 bottles of water Deb, as we get water from foods as well, eg- many fruits and vegetables - such as watermelon and cucumbers are nearly 100 percent water by weight. Beverages such as milk and juice are also comprised mostly of water
Water is one of your best bets because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available

I keep a bottle with me at all times at work now. I use more there (environmental stress) than at home.

I drink on average 2 large water bottles, and one diet soda (usually Vernors or
Lipton's Green tea) at work.

I don't use coffee anymore, so my caffeine is way down now.

While it is important to drink, those using certain drugs need to watch out for hyponatremia. Many drugs can cause this and I found a list of them at
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic275.htm

I have bolded the ones most commonly used by PN patients. I think this list was made before Lyrica came out, so I'd add that one in just for precautions' sake.
Read the article and familiarize yourself with the symptoms. It may come in handy one day...esp those in the hot zones this week in US.

Hi Mrs. D. When I read your post, I said to myself: "Wht is hypoatremia??

So I found this site.

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz...ponatremia.jsp

Very important to know because many heart patients are on low-sodium diets and if they work out, they sweat, lose sodium, their blood pressure, drops, they get a little whoozy, (this happened to Alan just once). Took him a few moments but he was fine. I tell him to rehydrate in the summer.

I myself am on zestoretic (which is blood pressure and water pill).

My pressure is always fine. And while I am NOT the low-sodium person Alan is, I don't cook with it, buy foods with it, BUT, I can't have my salad without any salt. Tastes terrible. So I use Light Salt.

Boy, if we go for Japanese food, or just buy soup, I have to read the labels, because after you don't use regular salt for over a year, brother, when you put that soup in your mouth, it's like tasting a mouthful of salt.

Amazing what the palate gets used to!! Now I have a brother in law who is 70, weighs 122, (never gained a pound), never eats any fat, any salt, any sugar. When he dines out, he orders plain pasta with nothing on it, and tells them not to put oil in the pot. He drinks boiled water with absolutely everything. His diet is nothing but white stuff. Pasta, rice, potatoes, and yes, he eats boiled chicken and veggies but mostly carbs because he has this stomach thing going on.

I said "how on earth can you subsist on just white stuff and no salt? He is always at the doctor for Gerd!!! He takes Gaviscon before each meal.

No soda either. Only boiled water. He will probably live to be 100 hundred years old.

lol
Melody

Melody

Thanks Mrs D for that information, i use Tramadol every day an opiate which is on that list, i normally have 2-3 glasses of water when i get out of bed in the morning, [seems to help me wake up] normally 4 coffee's through out the day and 3 - 4 glasses of diet coke, 8 - 10 glasses of tap water spread out pretty evenly during the day & eat lots of vegetables & some fruit.

of water AND use diuretics and the drugs are more at risk.

When sodium is restricted, then, the hyponatriemia may occur. I had a patient a couple of years ago who was on high dose morphine sustained release form, and
had this happen. But he had poor habits, as well, and that may have contributed.

Tramadol is not an opiate exactly...but there is information about it and hyponatremia:

http://www.australianprescriber.com/...7/4/artid/495/

I think those using the drugs I listed above should learn the signs, just for safety's sake. You may never have it happen, but who knows?

Thanks again Mrs D, i don't know what we would do without you.