Hydration 101: How Much Water Should You Ideally Drink Every Day? September 28, 2016

How much water should you drink daily? The answer to this question might appear to be simple, but, in fact, it is not the case. Different experts have various opinions on this topic, and almost all theories sound right if you understand the logic behind them. Basically, the water requirement of our body depends on various factors such as the area we live, how active our lifestyle is, and our health.

The most common and well-known mantra suggested by health care professionals is that you must have eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body hydrated, and this fact has several scientific pieces of evidence too.

But Ayurveda has a different take on these theories. According to Ayurveda, there are a few natural urges in our body that indicate it needs something. Some of them are hunger, thirst, sleep, urination, and defecation. Ayurveda always preaches, “Not attending a natural urge when it is there, and initiating an urge when it is not there, leads to disease. ”


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Hence, when you feel hungry, you must eat food, and drink water when you feel thirsty. Ignoring these urges every time can lead to starvation and dehydration.

Now the next question that arises is how much water should you drink daily?

How Much Water Should You Drink A Day?

Though theories suggest that you must drink at least eight glasses of water every day as it detoxifies your body and also keeps the skin nourished and hydrated, Ayurveda denies this fact.

According to Ayurveda, water is a coolant. Excessive water intake, even if you’re not feeling hungry, can lead to indigestion and may also lead to a serious condition called Ama. Ama is caused due to improper digestion and improper metabolism in the digestive tract and body cells and tissues. Ama is actually a precursor for a host of diseases in the body.

Drinking a lot of water also causes an increase in kapha and vata and a decrease in pitta, which affects the digestion power of the body. Thus, you must not overdrink water. Instead, drink it till you feel satiated. Satiation is a signal from your body that you must stop drinking water.


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Ayurvedic Way To Drink Water

1. Just like we sit down and then eat, you must always sit down and then drink water.

2. Do not drink a glass full of water in one go. Take small sips, swallow the water, and then breathe. Repeat.

3. Take small sips of water throughout the day. If you drink lots of water in one go, your body won’t be able to absorb all of it, and most of it will run through you.

4. When it comes to the temperature of water, the first preference goes to warm water. However, you can drink water that is at room temperature. Avoid chilled or iced water as it can douse the digestive fire.

5. Do not drink loads of water before and after meal. You can take small sips of water in between the meals. But keep in mind not to drink a lot of water while eating as there won’t be enough room for digestion in the stomach.

6. Always remember that your stomach must be filled 50% with food, 25% with water, and remaining 25% with digestive juices.

7. Thirst is a natural urge of the body, and you must never ignore it. Drink water whenever you feel thirsty.

8. Urine is one of the indicators to show whether your body is properly hydrated or not. It it is clear and straw colored, it’s fine. But if it is yellow, you need to drink more water as it is a sign of dehydration.

9. Another sign of dehydration is dry lips. Hence, if your lips are dry, it is a sign that you need to drink water immediately.

Now that you know how much water should you drink a day, what are you waiting for? Go and enjoy that elixir of life. We hope this information answers all your queries, but if you still have any doubts, you can post them in the comments section below.

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