I have noticed that drinking more water prevents me from getting so many headaches - with or without wine! I have been drinking a lot of water with slices of lemon in, as we have a lemon tree. It tastes great, but I have recently been wondering if its not so great for my teeth?

This is a controversial topic with as much written about the benefits, as the myth of the benefits, of drinking eight glasses of water a day. There seems little agreement among the ‘experts.’

The British Medical Journal reports that research shows drinking water when not thirsty can actually impair rather than enhance concentration. In addition, the chemicals used to disinfect bottled water can be bad for your health. Drinking excess water apparently can cause kidney damage and put an unnecessary strain on your body – particularly your cardio-vascular system. Occasionally, it may cause the fatal condition, hyponatraemia where the brain swells.

However, there does seem some agreement on some positive points. Skin and nail conditions are helped - I guess this is where the looking ‘younger’ bit comes in. On the other hand, the body is already 60%water so a few extra glasses has limited effect according to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Urinary infections may be prevented as bugs are flushed out more frequently. As a contra, I have read that drinking large amounts of water tends to reduce the kidney’s ability to function.

Headaches from dehydration can be prevented. I was amazed how much whiter the whites of my eyes were when I found myself needing to drink lots of water while on holiday in an unusually hot climate (at least, I think it was the water doing it!)

As for losing weight. Of course water fills you up. It also makes you want to go to the loo more. It quenches your thirst but doesn’t necessarily quell your hunger.

Just how much water you need surely is common sense and depends on our lifestyle our environment and what we eat. Those who perspire a lot, live in hot climates, eat little in the way of fresh fruit and vegetables or legumes (which have high water content) are obviously going to need more water. They will feel thirsty more often.

It seems to me that how much we need to drink is something which should be innate. Is there any other creature on earth who needs instruction about how much they need to drink. The human race has survived for thousands of years. Surely the majority of us can trust our bodies signals to tell us when we are thirsty and need at drink or not - without someone telling us.

What I am saying is this. Is more than we need good for us? By definition, it is not necessary for us. Are we just media suckers? Take the advertising of food and snacks. It is everywhere , charging us at every corner, every blink. We are bombarded by messages telling us we need this and we need that. This will make us look young, irresistible, clever, popular, satisfied, healthy, etc. It is not surprising we come to accept that we need these things regardless of the reality. Most of us at some time slip and bend our logic, and therefore our free will to media or social pressure. We simply don’t have or take enough time to look at the research, to see what might motivate these dictums.

This is when the problems of over-indulgence can arise . We start to over-ride our natural self preservation instincts. We eat too much. We drink too much. It used to be alcohol. Then juices and soft drinks with their sugary content. Maybe now it is the time to look at water. OK, drinking lots of water doesn’t seem to do most people any harm. It may well have benefits, in the mind or otherwise. However, tell me if I’m wrong… isn’t the perceived need to drink so much water, to constantly carry water with us, a direct result of media hype, articles and advertising - something that has come about since bottled water became commercially available and media technology so pervasive.

And what about the specifics? Eight glasses a day per adult? Forget about our body size and build, the water content of the foods we eat, our activity levels, our specific environment! Whether Inuit, Bedouin, Kiwi or Kenyan, we all need the eight glasses a day.

I believe that in a world without any advertising and commercial water companies, we would go back to relying on the natural response of thirst to tell us when we need a drink. We would drink when we were thirsty. We would drink for pleasure when we felt inclined. We might even drink if we knew we were going to be in a situation where we were likely to get thirsty. No doubt, as in past centuries, some of us would be wise enough to use water bottles if the need arose. We would not, however, force ourselves to drink merely because we had been told that we should.

I drink hardly any water! - only if I am REALLY thirsty - which is hardly ever. And even if I am really thirsty i tend to grab a glass of cold milk as appose to water. I dislike the taste of chlorinated water, it just doesn't appeal to me! And room temperature water I don't enjoy. Adding some lemon to it and some ice cubes would encourage me to start drinking water but then of course I will probably be taking many trips to the bathroom!

I also think that water can be harmful. I know of people that carry around a huge water bottle and refill it many times because they have conditioned themselves to believe that water is a must blahblahblah. I am sure it does fantastic things, as Wice has mentioned...it can't stop and prevent UTI's. However, sometimes people can go TOO far. Too much water can actually cause you to drown...I am sure there are more details (this is just what I have been told!!!)

This topic does sort of make sense to me now though. It could be the reason as to why my skin is extremely dry! Possibly due to lack of water? I think I may consider drinking more water, just not to the extent of excessive intake! Too much of ANYTHING is not good.

Thanks for the post, it has encouraged me to drink more water!!!!!

I got a Brita Water filter and chiller in the farmers sale - great tasting chilled water on tap -mm! Cheaper and better for the planet than bottled water. It also has a funky blue light!