In Sydney and other parts of the globe, there are many misconceptions about drinking water. These “myths” stand the test of time maybe because many companies promote these with their interests in mind.
Let’s examine some of those myths and find out the truth by using science and some common knowledge:
1. You only get dehydrated when you sweat a lot
We sweat a lot especially during the unusually hot days in Sydney. Perhaps we’re exercising, going to work or just staying inside the home. High temperatures and physical activities can make us lose water.
However, sweating is not the only way we lose water. In fact, our bodies “exhale” up to 400mL of water per day just by breathing. This number can get a lot higher if we’re physically active or the days are just abnormally hot.
As a result, even during cold days (or the air conditioner is in its high or max settings), we still lose water. We should stay hydrated even though we’re not sweating a lot. Don’t wait for the thirst to come. You should still regularly drink water so you can always replace the fluids lost by your body.
No matter the weather or your activities for the day, regularly drinking water can help you perform at your best. For example, staying hydrated can help you focus more. That’s because your body will function properly. A healthy mind can only go with a healthy body. As a result, you will become more productive and make better decisions. This will have a positive effect to your work and personal life.
Even if you’re just comfortable in the office, you might still get dehydrated. We lose water every second of the day because of our breathing and metabolic processes. We might need to drink more water after strenuous physical activities. But even while we’re just sitting at the office, our bodies are still working and for that we need water for our bodies to function properly.
2. Eight glasses of water a day?
Perhaps this is the most common misconception. Since you were a child you might have been hearing that you should drink 8 glasses of water each day. Up to now, you might read in health blogs that it’s still the best practice.
But the truth is, 8 glasses is just arbitrary. Also, we have different weights, heights and physical built. We don’t need exactly 8 glasses of water. Aside from our physical differences, we also have varying activities and age. The water we need each day will also vary.
It’s also impossible to religiously follow that practice each day for the rest of our lives. We get busy and while we work, we forget to drink water regularly. During the course of a day, we might just be drinking 4 glasses.
No worries though. You can still meet the quota because you can get the water you need from other sources (e.g. other beverages, fruits and vegetables). Most fruits are actually made up of at least 80 percent water. Other beverages such as coffee and tea also have much water in them.
This isn’t an excuse though for skipping that glass of water. When you have the choice between a glass of water and a cup of coffee, as much as possible choose the water. It’s even the better choice especially when you’re craving for other sugary beverages.
Most times you’ll still be getting the water you need. You can still drink up to 8 glasses of water each day (it’s easy to remember because we’ve been taught that since we’re young). Or you can just drink one extra glass of water right after you wake up or during lunch.
3. Drinking more water improves your skin
Our skin cells also need water. After all, to maintain healthy cells you need to keep them hydrated. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean your appearance and complexion will improve.
There are many other factors that affect our skin. It could be stress, smoking, unbalanced diet, lack of sleep and other things. Even if you drink more water for a month or a year, you might not notice any improvements or changes regarding your skin.
Our skin cells rely on more just water. It’s like every part of our bodies. We need nutrients and antioxidants. We also need to adopt healthy living (get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, relax, slow down, etc.).
You might have read somewhere that water flushes away toxins. If there are fewer toxins in your blood, there’s a chance you will have a healthier and glowing skin. But don’t count on this. You might not notice any effect at all even if you stay hydrated regularly. As mentioned earlier, there are other factors that affect appearance. Don’t place all your hopes on staying hydrated.
Want to get rid of the dark circles under your eyes? Do you want to make your skin softer and glowing? These go beyond drinking water. Staying hydrated might help you become healthier, but it may or may not improve your overall appearance.
4. Drinking more water helps in weight loss
This is another myth. People think the reason is that when you’re feeling full (because of the water), you will eat less which may lead to weight loss. It also reduces your reliance on sugary beverages (which adds to your body fat).
But it’s not as simple as that. We have complex biochemical processes inside our bodies. Just drinking more water won’t guarantee weight loss. Also, we might use the “drinking more water” as an excuse for us to eat more. After all, the toxins will be flushed and we’re thinking that more water actually aids in weight loss.
Again, you should not put all your hopes in water alone. This is especially the case if you’re aiming to remove a number of kilograms from your weight (or make your waistline smaller). You also need to watch your diet and perform regular exercises.
If you indeed lose weight and you think it’s because of the water, it might just be a correlation. After all, if you regularly drink more water, it might just be a sign that you’re health-conscious. It’s likely that you have a healthy diet and physical regimen. You might also be getting enough sleep each day. All these practices can contribute to your effective weight loss.
5. Sports drinks are better than water?
Sports drinks are better marketed than water. We see athletes and famous personalities having bottles of those drinks. We then think that it’s those drinks that fuel their performance. As a result, many other athletes and fitness enthusiasts choose sports drinks over water.
Sports drinks contain electrolytes that replace the ones we’ve just lost after a strenuous physical activity. These beverages may also contain some sugar to provide fuel for the body. This might be a good choice especially if you’ve sweat a lot (e.g. after marathons or playing basketball).
However, some people completely rely on sports drinks whenever they sweat a lot (e.g. hot summer days in Sydney). This is not necessary. Most times our bodies can still handle the heat and loss of some electrolytes. If you’re reasonably healthy, you only need a glass of cold and refreshing water to replace the fluids. As for the electrolytes, you can always get those from fruit, vegetables and the everyday food you eat.
You might also see some people at the gym having sports drinks. If you’re just doing a regular exercise (and not doing marathons), you only need to drink water to quench your thirst and replace the fluids you lost. Sports drinks are ideal for people who are losing a lot of electrolytes in extended periods of time. On the other hand, water is already enough for most physical activities you will perform.
6. Clear urine means you’re always properly hydrated
Many of us think that clear urine means the toxins and wastes are diluted, which means we’re getting enough water to flush those substances.
However, the colour of the urine doesn’t solely depend on the quantity of toxins and wastes. It also depends on our health condition and our daily diet. For instance, regular intake of multivitamins (especially with high concentrations of B complex) can make the urine have a prominent yellow colour.
Aside from the colour of urine, we should also pay attention to how often we take a bathroom break. Every few hours, we should be urinating to flush away toxins and waste products. Failure to do this can put a strain to our kidney and make our blood quality less than ideal.
No matter how busy we get, we should drink water and urinate every few hours (especially when we’re busy working). During work hours, our bodies process more fluids and nutrients. As a result, there’s more waste build-up. We need to get rid of that waste regularly through urine.
Even if we have clear urine, we should still watch our water intake. As mentioned earlier, clarity doesn’t always mean proper hydration. It’s not a reason to slack off when it comes to staying hydrated.
7. Bottled water is your safest option?
Bottled water is sealed and it’s purified through complex processes, which is why many people think it’s the safest option when it comes to staying hydrated. In addition, it’s the most convenient option. Anyone can buy bottled water now anytime. It’s also very convenient when we’re driving or just far from home.
However, there are still risks related to drinking from plastic bottles. Some of the chemicals might leach into the water you drink. These chemicals can come from the sealants or the plastic bottle itself.
Moreover, trying to buy bottled water will expose you to more tempting beverages (sugary or alcoholic). These drinks are often more prominently displayed on shelves. Instead of reaching the bottled water, you might just pick the sugary beverages. This can become a habit. As a result, your health and physical figure will suffer.
Aside from our own physical health, bottled water will have direct effects to our environment. Plastic bottles accumulate in the landfills and oceans. Imagine using one plastic bottle each day. In one year, you will have used 300+ plastic bottles.
In addition, most of the plastic bottles are never recycled. They will remain in oceans and landfills. They can block the flow of water and occupy a lot of space. Fishes and other marine creatures might be trapped or killed (accidental ingestion) because of the plastic bottles.
That’s why many Sydney residents and businesses choose a more environment-friendly and healthier option. Many of them request to install a water filtration system in their home or establishment. These water filters can deliver clean and pure water (no more buying bottled water). These filtration systems are also more economical.
Misconceptions about drinking water Sydney
Myths and misconceptions often stand the test of time because they’re repeatedly mentioned. It might be a result of consistent advertising or those myths were just entrenched to our minds since young age.
The misconceptions mentioned above won’t do much harm to us as long as we stay reasonable. Maybe that’s also one of the reasons these myths have been staying for long. They don’t result to catastrophes. After all, many other people believe those myths without suffering any issues.
These myths relate to how much water we consume. But what about the quality of water we drink? How clean our water actually has a bigger impact to our health. After all, we drink water every day. The effects (whether positive or negative and no matter how much we drink) can accumulate through the months and years.
That’s why a number of Sydney families and businesses have already requested us here at Clean & Clear Purification Specialists to install water filtration systems. Many families and businesses now prioritise clean water because they’re now aware of the possible contaminants present.
You can send an enquiry to us about the water filters available (e.g. which are cost-effective, which is the ideal one for your home, warranty, removal of specific contaminants).