I am lucky that I love the taste of water. It’s all I drink. I have had many people tell me they don’t like the taste of water. They think it’s boring and need to add something flavorful to drink more of it. Not me. I rarely, if ever, add anything to my water. Not even ice. In fact, I don't enjoy cold water at all. I want my water room temperature and take it with me wherever I go.
So how much water is enough? The consensus seems to be that we should drink half our body weight in ounces. I’m not a doctor and have zero medical knowledge, but for me, drinking enough water helps with energy levels, brain function, headaches, weight loss, hangovers, maximum physical performance, and helps to alleviate constipation and kidney stones. Those reasons alone motivate me to try and drink enough water, with the exclusion of hangovers. I rarely drink alcohol anymore.
As I contemplated this subject, I began to think of how fortunate I am to have clean drinking water. I didn’t set out to get all philosophical with today’s subject, but then I realized how much I appreciate having clean water to drink, and then I started thinking about all the people in this world that do not have clean drinking water. Squirrel??!!! A different subject for another time.
When I began thinking about this subject for this week’s blog, I thought of my mother. She is 96 and has advanced Alzheimer’s. My mother never, ever drank water. If she drank 8 ounces of water a day, that was a lot and she would complain all she did was go to the bathroom. My mother wanted to use the restroom 3 times a day only. In the morning, afternoon, and before bed. That’s it. Anything beyond that was a nuisance. I never understood this, and we would fight about it constantly.
Can dehydration cause Alzheimer’s? Did my mother not drinking water solely cause her Alzheimer's? Of course not, but at this point there are many studies out there to suggest that it can increase the risk of developing a type of dementia. Here’s another thing to consider. My father is 96. He drinks a lot of water and has his whole life. He does not have dementia. Up until not too long ago, he was the sole caretaker for my mother. He needs help now because he’s developed heart disease. So, who's to say when enough is enough? I say every little bit helps so drink up and do your own research.