Water Consumption And Sun Exposure Questions

[MetabolicTrash]

So I've gotten mixed messages from how much water you should drink per day and how much sun exposure is good/beneficial but safe (as in not damaging the skin specifically).

Starting with water, I've gotten tons of mixed messages. I've heard a good "average" is 6-8 cups of water a day, even if sedentary. I thought water needs would be based on body size among other things, but have seen very overweight people drinking little liquids throughout the day -- and vice-versa.

I also heard that how much you should drink should be solely based on initial thirst. But I've tried only drinking when absolutely feeling a lot of thirst, and by that point I'm dehydrated somewhat (pee really dark for one). So I can't just rely on intense feelings as when that urge comes on, it may be past the point I should've consumed it in.

Some days I also drink little water but pee stays clear; other days I drink a lot and it is darker at the end of the night. I drink less at night to avoid having to pee in the middle of it or such, which screws up sleep. Many online calculators also advise HUGE amounts of water for me -- like 11-12 cups. I tried drinking more just to meet these needs, but ended up peeing nonstop, super clear liquid (over hydrated).

I just can't seem to find a good balance of drinking enough throughout the day and not having to be slightly dehydrated at points. Only going by my body doesn't seem ideal, as I may only feel a need to binge drink water at 9:00 PM or something and then be peeing 8 times in the middle of the night or something.

As with sun, I've also heard mixed messages. Some suggest that even small amounts of unprotected sun exposure can damage skin and accelerate skin aging (definitely not something I want, especially my face). Some suggest sunscreen all the time in the sun. But if I only go in the sun wearing sunscreen, I never get much Vitamin D and just sunbathing sometimes has a psychological advantage too (I've felt better just being in the sun directly for 10-20 minutes). I also heard 20-30 minutes is plenty for Vitamin D -- but no mention on how this much time daily and unprotected might affect skin quality steadily over years and such.

So what also would you recommend or do you find ideal for sun exposure? I really don't want any kind of skin damage and aging or etc. I am also light eyed and heard people with light eyes shouldn't get too much sun (not sure if it's true or to what extent it would affect my skin if such).

So just tell me your views/habits/etc. and whatever you think would help solve how much water/sun would be ideal but not overdone.

 

[milkboi]

Maybe slight dehydration isn't a problem. I drink a lot of my calories (milk & oj & coffe; no water) so I don't ever feel really dehydrated. I think water with not enough elektrolytes can easily lead to dehydration.

 

[MetabolicTrash]

Yeah, it might be different for people who drink their calories more, but I drink just plain, filtered water mostly. I eat/chew most of my calories since I don't want to deprive my jaw/jaw muscles of their intended purpose, which is to chew food mainly.

I used to drink many of my calories time ago and rarely chewed -- not a good thing when you have a history of overeating/getting in too many calories too easily.

I guess there's always Gatorade or electrolyte/mineral/vitamin waters which usually have potassium and sodium.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

So I've gotten mixed messages from how much water you should drink per day and how much sun exposure is good/beneficial but safe (as in not damaging the skin specifically).

Starting with water, I've gotten tons of mixed messages. I've heard a good "average" is 6-8 cups of water a day, even if sedentary. I thought water needs would be based on body size among other things, but have seen very overweight people drinking little liquids throughout the day -- and vice-versa.

I also heard that how much you should drink should be solely based on initial thirst. But I've tried only drinking when absolutely feeling a lot of thirst, and by that point I'm dehydrated somewhat (pee really dark for one). So I can't just rely on intense feelings as when that urge comes on, it may be past the point I should've consumed it in.

Some days I also drink little water but pee stays clear; other days I drink a lot and it is darker at the end of the night. I drink less at night to avoid having to pee in the middle of it or such, which screws up sleep. Many online calculators also advise HUGE amounts of water for me -- like 11-12 cups. I tried drinking more just to meet these needs, but ended up peeing nonstop, super clear liquid (over hydrated).

I just can't seem to find a good balance of drinking enough throughout the day and not having to be slightly dehydrated at points. Only going by my body doesn't seem ideal, as I may only feel a need to binge drink water at 9:00 PM or something and then be peeing 8 times in the middle of the night or something.

We need to stay hydrated, but not with plain water. Ray Peat says it flushes nutrients out of the body, drinking too much plain water, before the body can use them, and lots of water is hard on the kidneys too. I use milk, diluted juices, teas and such throughout the day to stay hydrated, and drink them as much as I feel the need. I am sure I drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Yeah, it might be different for people who drink their calories more, but I drink just plain, filtered water mostly. I eat/chew most of my calories since I don't want to deprive my jaw/jaw muscles of their intended purpose, which is to chew food mainly.

I used to drink many of my calories time ago and rarely chewed -- not a good thing when you have a history of overeating/getting in too many calories too easily.

@MetabolicTrash you make a good point here, which is why I chew gum for a bit on days I drink more than I eat. I do a quick neck-up exercise, with my head hanging off the bed, everyday too.

 

[arcadia11]

i have read in several places that your water consumption should be half your weight in ounces. i have also read that one should not drink more than a quart in an hour.
six-eight ounces at a time throughout the day is an easy way to accomplish that.
don't drink so much that you feel bloated.

if you are going to drink a lot of plain water i recommend using a few pinches of high quality salt in every cup/bottle to replace minerals. always.

anything you eat or drink that has water in it counts for the daily total. watermelon, cucumbers and celery are fun ways to get some extra water. juices also - carrot juice
not only protects from sun damage it heals damage already done. it's probably the best. other foods that protect against sun damage are foods high in omega 3s - like
walnuts and chia seeds, also tomatoes, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, bell peppers and...wait for it...dark chocolate! might as well be pleasurable.

 

[Apple]

We need to stay hydrated, but not with plain water. Ray Peat says it flushes nutrients out of the body, drinking too much plain water, before the body can use them, and lots of water is hard on the kidneys too. I use milk, diluted juices, teas and such throughout the day to stay hydrated, and drink them as much as I feel the need. I am sure I drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day.

Many people drink water during the meals (rather than apart from meal) and feel excellent at that. Isn't it a good way to create electrolyte (when water mixes with meal) and stay hydrated ?

 

[JudiBlueHen]

My daughter drinks way too much water, and plenty of other liquids. She urinates frequently. This is a symptom of diabetes insipidus, which seems to be rather poorly understood. I encourage her to get salt and electrolytes, and she tries. I am not suggesting that you have this, but some people do over-consume liquids and urinate a lot but never seem to consider this possibility.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

“I have spoken to many people who believe they should drink "8 glasses of water every day," in addition to their normal foods, even if they don't feel thirsty. Many doctors still recite this dangerous slogan, but the addition of the qualifying phrase, "or other liquids," has become common.

The amount of water a person needs is extremely variable, depending on things such as metabolic rate, activity, and the temperature and humidity of the air. Working hard in hot, dry weather, it's possible to drink more than two quarts per hour for more than eight hours, without forming any urine, because all of the water is lost by evaporation. But in very hot, humid weather, a person with a low metabolic rate can be endangered by the smallest amount of water (e.g., "Meteorological relations of eclampsia in Lagos, Nigeria," Agobe, et al., 1981).” -Ray Peat​

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

“In recent decades, the prevalence of congestive heart failure has increased tremendously, so that it is now often called an epidemic. Hyponatremia (too little salt, or too much water) is a recognized "risk factor" for congestive heart failure. In the failing heart, the muscle cells are swollen, causing the heart wall to stiffen, weakening its ability to pump. Osmotically shrinking the cells can restore their function.

The swollen heart, like any muscle, loses the ability to quickly and completely relax, and so it doesn't fill adequately between contractions. Elastic tissues, such as arteries and lungs, stiffen when they are over-hydrated, losing their normal functions. In small blood vessels, swelling narrows the channel, increasing resistance to the flow of blood.” Ray Peat​

 

[Apple]

Many people drink water during the meals (rather than apart from meal) and feel excellent at that. Isn't it a good way to create electrolyte (when water mixes with meal) and stay hydrated ?

I just had a meal (meat with some starches) and drank glass of plain water with it. Feel good, joints move very smoothly, no popping/snapping sounds unlike previous days . I usually have coffee after meals and I think it dehydrates me too much.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

“When people force themselves to drink a certain amount of water every day, even when they don't feel thirsty, they are activating complex adaptive processes unnecessarily. Thirst is the best guide to the amount of fluid needed.

When extra water consumption is combined with a low salt diet--as physicians have so often recommended--a healthy person can adapt easily, but for a hypothyroid person it can have disastrous effects.” -Ray Peat​

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I just had a meal (meat with some starches) and drank glass of plain water with it. Feel good, joints move very smoothly, no popping/snapping sounds unlike previous days . I usually have coffee after meals and I think it dehydrates me too much.

I wonder what the popping snapping sounds indicate. I don’t have those and I don’t drink plain water. Maybe it is your meal, maybe the oils, helping them move better?

 

[Apple]

I wonder what the popping snapping sounds indicate. I don’t have those and I don’t drink plain water. Maybe it is your meal, maybe the oils, helping them move better?

I developed snapping elbow from too much exersize ... whenever I eat smth wrong it starts snapping(making popping sound) more often. I use it as an indicator that I ate smth wrong.
What always works for my elbow is eating fish.
But right now it is a 100% a positive efect from extra hydration from water with meal...I never drink water during my meals, never.

 

[Peatress]

My daughter drinks way too much water, and plenty of other liquids. She urinates frequently. This is a symptom of diabetes insipidus, which seems to be rather poorly understood. I encourage her to get salt and electrolytes, and she tries. I am not suggesting that you have this, but some people do over-consume liquids and urinate a lot but never seem to consider this possibility.

This may not be diabetes. I used to urinate a lot which stopped when I started "Peating". I had a mineral inbalance - adding salt and getting plenty of calcium (milk) resolved the issue.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I developed snapping elbow from too much exersize ... whenever I eat smth wrong it starts snapping(making popping sound) more often. I use it as an indicator if I ate smth wrong.
What always works for my elbow is eating fish.
But right now it is a 100% a positive efect from extra hydration from water with meal...I never drink water during my meals, never.

Gotcha! I don’t drink liquids with meals either, as it dilutes my digestive juices.

 

[Apple]

Gotcha! I don’t drink liquids with meals either, as it dilutes my digestive juices.

I know , I heard that cliché many times... but how come so many people drink water during meals with no problems ? And most medical researches are saying that it is totally fine to drink water during the meal. Kind of ... excess water will be absorbed without messing with digestion. It is probably a matter of habbit.
Though alternative medicine claims it is almost deadly to drink water during the meal, diluting your digestive juices and so on...
I guess - Never trust what people say on the Internet ...

 

[JudiBlueHen]

This may not be diabetes. I used to urinate a lot which stopped when I started "Peating". I had a mineral inbalance - adding salt and getting plenty of calcium (milk) resolved the issue.

I agree with you in general, but there may be a hereditary effect. My sister definitely had diabetes insipidus, not any other form of diabetes - not type 1 or 2. She was under the care of a nephrologist. The amount of liquids my daughter drinks is HUGE, not just a lot.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I know , I heard that cliché many times... but how come so many people drink water during meals with no problems ? And most medical researches are saying that it is totally fine to drink water during the meal. Kind of ... excess water will be absorbed without messing with digestion. It is probably a matter of habbit.
Though alternative medicine claims it is almost deadly to drink water during the meal, diluting your digestive juices and so on...
I guess - Never trust what people say on the Internet ...

I feel like my food digests faster without liquids with it. Things like pineapple juice and orange juice help my digestion though. I suppose if I ate something heavy or dry, water could help push things along.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

I know , I heard that cliché many times... but how come so many people drink water during meals with no problems ? And most medical researches are saying that it is totally fine to drink water during the meal. Kind of ... excess water will be absorbed without messing with digestion. It is probably a matter of habbit.
Though alternative medicine claims it is almost deadly to drink water during the meal, diluting your digestive juices and so on...
I guess - Never trust what people say on the Internet ...

My sister drank a stunning, HUGE, amount of water, and later found that she was borderline diabetic.