8 Glasses of Water a Day

I haven’t written anything for months now because in the process of starting an exercise program I injured my shoulder and various tendons in my arm which has made it painful to even sit in this chair for more than a few minutes. So, I am healing slowly, and finally feel well enough to share a few thoughts.

As I try to get back to normal (whatever that is), I remember that, unknown to nearly all theologians and rabbis, there was a postscript added to Moses’ two tablets on Mount Sinai which commands us to drink 8 glasses of water every day!

Well, ok, maybe I’m confusing a few things, but we all know the importance of those 8 glasses of water. I mean, it’s an absolute fact, right?

Well….no.  Some years ago I was speaking with an oral surgeon who happened to have looked into the matter.

I no longer remember the name of the publication in which it appeared, nor do I remember who wrote it, but my surgeon friend told me that what was actually written was that most people require between six and eight glasses of water per day and that much of this comes from the foods that we eat, especially fruits and vegetables.  Drinks such as milk, coffee and juices are part of that total. I would like to add that beer is also mostly water.

So there you have it, between six and eight glasses of water, and everything that goes into our mouths counts towards the total. Eat half of a watermelon and you probably won’t need to drink anything. At any rate, our bodies let us know if we need more liquids.

Hey, I’ve got an idea!

(Standing up)

Excuse me! Excuse me everybody!

I just want to know if any of you can tell me how our bodies let us know that we’re getting a little dehydrated?  Raise your hand if you have the answer.

Yes, you in the back.

No, erectile dysfunction is not the answer.

Hey, Scholar John, I didn’t notice you sitting there. What’s your answer?

No, the gentleman before you already said that.

OK, one last time. Dale at the bar.

NO! PREMATURE EJACULATION IS NOT THE ANSWER EITHER!

Damn, is that all you people think about?

The answer is that we get thirsty. Got it? We get thirsty.

(Sitting back down frustrated)

So there you have it. Of course, if you are engaged in sports or physical work it isn’t a bad idea to drink a little water every so often to prevent our dehydration sensor from kicking in in the first place. Additionally, as we age that water sensor doesn’t work like new anymore so, a little extra water as we accumulate extra years is probably a good idea.

As with most other things, moderation is the key as drinking excessive amounts of water has actually killed people, but I’ll leave my thoughts on that aspect of it for some future time.

In closing, I did a bit of research (a very little bit), and I think that the original author of the “8 glasses of water per day” mantra was a health researcher named Frederick Stare. Mind you, I’m not positive  if that’s him, but, if it is, then you might be interested to know that he also thought that Coca-Cola was a healthy snack and that large amounts of sugar pose no health problems.

Of course, we all make mistakes, and being wrong on some things does not mean that he was wrong on everything.

However…it’s something to think about.