Water

from "Rust Out" by Dr. Royce Bailey, page 12

Do I still need to drink eight glasses of water a day
though it’s no longer hot outside?

            It’s a misconception that you only need to drink that much when it’s hot outside, or when you are exercising.  Believe it or not, we lose as much water in the winter as we do in the summer because the air is so dry and we spend so much time in heated rooms.  Most people are not aware of this, so once the weather gets cold, you have an awful lot of dried-out folks walking around.

            I know, because many of them end up in my office.  Headaches and dry skin are two of the more common symptoms of dehydration, but patients also complain of sinus infections or postnasal drip.  That is not surprising.  Normally, water thins your body’s natural mucus secretions and sends them down your throat without you even realizing that they were there. But when you are not getting enough water, the mucus gets stuck.  So you think that you are sick, when all you need is a few tall glasses of Adam’s Ale (water).

            Postmenopausal women are particularly prone to this problem.  Basically, declining estrogen levels have the same effect on your nose and throat as they do on your other typically targeted estrogen organs:  they dry them out.  There is no magic solution! Just keep drinking your eight glasses of water¹ a day and don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink up.  By that time, you are already on your way to becoming dehydrated.  Moreover, notice the color of your urine – it should be clear or slightly yellow.  If it is a deep shade, that is another sign that you are falling short in the water department.

             ¹ The ideal total water intake in ounces should be your weight in pounds divided by 2.2.

Reference:
                Snyderman,N. “Good Question”, Health; Nov/Dec 2000: 160.
                (Yes, this is Dr. Nancy Snyderman from Good Morning America)

Return to the Rust Out index.