Wellness

[halfpint1]

I hardly drink water so why do I wake up in the night twice and have to go?

[Toppers3]

---

@GingerPeachwrote:

I do try to drink about a quart of water a day.  

I also drink unsweetened green tea (both regular and decaf).  I don't usually count that as part of my plain water intake.

Does anyone have goals as to how much water to drink?

Do you find it hard to remember?

I know that when I was working, it was easier to remember because the bottle of water was right on my desk, but now at home, I'm all over (mostly at home) so it's harder to focus on the glass of water I have waiting.

My main "trick" is to remember to drink two glasses of water first thing, the rest of the day it's easier to just have one or two more.

ETA:  This is what works for me.  I'm not saying it's going to be the same for everyone.  Cheers!  

---

Good for you, for trying to drink as much as you can. 

I try to drink as much as I can throughout the day.

I like to drink water when it's really cold, like out of the fridge or with ice in it.

I'll flavor it with those flavored water drink mixes you can add to water, or I'll add in those flavored water inhancers I think that they're called, if I feel that I need to drink more and I feel like I need to add in some variety so that I can encourage myself to drink. 

I need to drink as much fluid as possible since I have a history of kidney stones. 

[pepes mom]

I was someone who learned a little to late about the water game.  I detest water.  I prefer tea (hot and iced) pop/soda, or lemonade.  I used to drink about 24 ounces per day.

Then came my first kidney stone.  My doc suggested that I needed to drink 2 liters of fluid a day and expel close to 2 liters of fluid a day to keep my kidneys flushed.  So, I have learned to gag down 1 liter of plain water or squeeze a fresh lemon into it and have the other liter of lemonade or some sort of MIO additive.  I always feel like my eyeballs are floating, but, knock wood, no new kidney stones.

If you are someone who doesn't drink much, please consider adding some additional fluid to your intake.  Your kidneys will thank you.  May you never get hit with stones.  People who have never had them- you want to keep it that way.  I was the only person in my family to get them.  I hope that I never experience that ungodly pain again.

[BeccaLou]

---

@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

DH asks how do you know you need water? You get thirsty.

---

becca lou wrote : I was told to take your thumb and first finger on your left hand and pinch the skin on top on your hand and if the skin stands up , you are dehydrated. Repeat the other hand the same way. But I was told to make sure you don't have heart problems because to much water can be dangerous. 

[lkat]

Add me to the list of kidney stone sufferers who trys to drink water throughout the day.  I do better on some days than others, but luckily I like the taste of water.  My urologist told me the best thing to do is to add lemon to my water so every morning I squeeze a lemon into a small container and take it to work with me to add to my water throughout the day.  It took me a while to get used to lots of lemon in water but now I love it.

Unfortunately I've had to mostly give up two of my favorite things - black tea and spinach which I used to drink/eat every day

[Q4u]

I get leg cramps when I haven't drunk enough liquids and have worked physically (sweated a lot).... I learned in Karate after a particularly nasty leg cramp (Charlie Horse, required crutches for a day or two)... to drink about 10 oz of Gateraid prior to my work outs and continue to do this and in the summer will drink Poweraid Zero often as well as water.  Coffee, herbal teas and water are my go to drinks now (I understand about coffee and only have 2 cups in the morning, can't/won't give it up).  But I'm basically cramp free today so I'm happy....  

[sidsmom]

I believe these ‘sports’ drinks like Gatorade/Powerade,

as well as ‘protein’, have an a.m.a.z.i.n.g marketing team.

All the ‘electrolyte’ talk....reminds me of the movie Idiocracy.

[beckyb1012]

I always thought I drank plenty of water every day until I was collecting my urine for 24 hours to see if I was possible kidney donor for my late Mom back in 2011.  They told me I did not drink near enough and would have to increase for my own health, which I have done.  But it was an adjustment to remember drink more.  Now it is easy. 

I was the only perfect match and was done with all the testing but Mom's surgeon said no, my blood pressure was too low for him to put on the table.  She ultimately passed from Lung Cancer instead of Kidney disease which was only found through all the testing for the transplant.  Life is so crazy.  From the age of 22 to 70 she suffered a kidney disease and Lupus only to pass from a tiny spot of lung cancer.

[AuntG]

Water tastes good to me (it's well water) so I drink about 48 ounces a day. Add a cup of tea, coffee and about a half can of pop (split it with DH) and that's my intake on a typical day. Sometimes we skip the soda pop and have milk with our evening meal. Our alcohol consumption is 2-3 drinks a week (usually when we go out to eat).

[Noel7]

---

@beckyb1012 wrote:

I always thought I drank plenty of water every day until I was collecting my urine for 24 hours to see if I was possible kidney donor for my late Mom back in 2011.  They told me I did not drink near enough and would have to increase for my own health, which I have done.  But it was an adjustment to remember drink more.  Now it is easy. 

I was the only perfect match and was done with all the testing but Mom's surgeon said no, my blood pressure was too low for him to put on the table.  She ultimately passed from Lung Cancer instead of Kidney disease which was only found through all the testing for the transplant.  Life is so crazy.  From the age of 22 to 70 she suffered a kidney disease and Lupus only to pass from a tiny spot of lung cancer.

---

@beckyb1012

You are such a wonderful daughter.  I’m so sorry you and your mother went through so much.