Drink Lots of Water

Last year sometime I heard a story on NPR talking about the origin of the 8 glasses of water a day myth. They figured it was based on some calculations made from the average number of calories the body burns a day. I haven't bothered trying to find the story in their archive, but I did come across an interesting WebMD article that lays out the myths and the evidence.

• Myth No. 1: We need to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day
• Myth No. 2: Caffeinated beverages make you dehydrated
• Myth No. 3: By the time you feel thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated
• Myth No. 4: Drinking plenty of water can help you lose weight

Yes, water is good for you. You should drink water. That's why you get thirsty, to put it in the most simplistic terms possible of course. I just get really tired of people throwing the '8 glasses/2 liters a day' myth at me with nothing to back it up other than they 'heard it somewhere once.'

Water is just like everything else the body needs. It's best in moderation and in quantities that are right for your body. Too much water can harm you. Not enough water will obviously kill you. Obey your thirst™.