-Do I Really Have to Drink 8 Glasses of Water A Day?

Drinking plenty of water (6-8 glasses of water a day) cools your body, improves your circulation and digestion, fuels your muscles and helps keep your skin moist and younger-looking. If you feel chronically fatigued, headachy or lethargic, then you may be chronically dehydrated.

The feeling of being thirsty is not enough to let you know when to drink water. Thirst is triggered when your body has a below normal concentration of water. You need to keep a balance of body hydration before you feel thirsty to maintain a normal concentration.

Drink fluids even more when you have been exercising or outdoors in the summer heat. A liter of water (about 1 quart) for every 1,000 calories expended is a good general rule of thumb -- or drink 8 ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes of exercise.

To determine whether you are drinking enough, monitor your urine. If you are going every 2 to 4 hours, you are probably drinking enough. If your urine is very dark and scanty, it is concentrated with metabolic wastes, and you need to drink more fluids. Generally your urine should be pale yellow, although some vitamin supplements will make it darker.

Does It Have to Be Water?

Any nonalcoholic fluid will work, but watch out for drinks with caffeine, which has a diuretic effect so it will not be as effective in hydrating. A beverage that tastes better may be easier for you to drink. If you do not like the taste of your water, try a filter, use bottled water, try seltzer water or add a slice of lemon or lime.

Does Drinking Cold Water Shock the System?

For the average, healthy individual, drinking cold water does not shock the system. It may even cool you down on hot days and it tastes better. In cold weather, warm fluids are best if you are feeling chilled already.

What About Sports Drinks?

Water is the best choice if exercise is less than 60-90 minutes. If you are doing more high-intensity exercise, you may have greater stamina if you drink fluids with small amounts of sugar as in sports drinks. Consult a fitness professional to determine if using sports drinks will be beneficial to the kind of physical activity you do. Are Soft Drinks a Poor Choice? Because they offer no nutritional value, except 150 calories of refined sugar, they are not as good a choice -- juice which offers natural sugars as well as potassium, vitamin C and other nutrients would be better. The 150 calories from a soft drink are better spent elsewhere. Avoiding caffeinated beverages is also better. Diet soft drinks also offer no nutritional value but may add some enjoyment as a break from water. Bottled water or seltzer is still a better choice. There is some controversy over the effects of the artificial sweetener, aspartame (Nutrasweet). Some people report headaches and other negative physical reactions from aspartame; therefore it is best to use in moderation.

Does Water Loss Cause Muscle Cramps?

The cause of muscle cramps is not fully understood. However, those unpredictable spasms which awaken many of us in the middle of the night are likely related to fluid loss, depletion of the nutrients necessary for proper muscle contraction, overexertion or inadequate conditioning. Try ruling out each of these deficiencies if you suffer from muscle cramps:

• Lack of Water: Drink eight glasses of water or more a day.
• Lack of Calcium: Try introducing more dairy products into your diet (or dark green vegetables such as spinach, or tofu) or take a calcium supplement.
• Lack of Potassium: Try eating more raw or steamed vegetables, fruit, whole wheat, oatmeal or dark breads, potatoes and natural fruit juices.
• Lack of Sodium: Athletes who restrict salt intake may lose too much sodium through sweat. Since sodium is found in so many foods, this usually only happens in ultra endurance athletes. If nutritional changes do not seem to help, consult a fitness professional to learn proper stretching and training techniques.