Water consumption, is it generational?

You can drink plenty of water without having to carry a bottle around all the time. It just means taking time to take a glass to a tap, filling it and drinking it at regular times during the day.

As a child I had/may still have a bowel condition that caused chronic constipation. As an adult I worked out that if I ate a fibre rich diet, drank plenty and got lots of walking exercise everything was fine. I have done this successfully for over 60 years, without ever feeling the need to carry a bottle of water with me.

I’m just off out to choir, taking my water bottle with me. I would panic if I found myself at rehearsal without it.
The continence nurse recommends drinking plenty of water too.

Labradora, we always take water with us when we go for longish walks with our dog, because we do seem to get thirstier and taps in fields are in short supply.
The dog’s OK, she just dives into the river, stream or if she’s desperate, a puddle will do.

In my childhood there were plenty of water fountains around. No one seemed to damage them. Today of course they would be broken, blocked up and covered in graffiti.

Every park or playground had one. Lovely on a hot day. In the last few years I had a small one rather like a small hip flask which fitted easily in my pocket or handbag. I lost it and cannot find another that useful size. I don't need to carry a litre around with me. But I like having a small bottle especially in the bus or train in the summer.

What is a wattle ??

I rarely drink water but I do drink a lot of tea over the course of a day. It's fluid intake that's important, not water as such.

We do take a bottle of water if we're out walking especially if the weather is hot, but I wouldn't carry one as a matter of course. I rarely feel thirsty (and never have at any age).

My bowels and kidneys seem to be working fine.

I, too, think this incessant water sipping is just a fad. And all those plastic bottles are an environmental disaster.

I’m sure FGT2 meant to type water (not wattle) Grannylynj

I’m a strange person because as long as I can remember I have always drunk water- I actually like the taste, although I know that it doesn’t actually taste of anything!
I always find it astonishing when people say they never drink it, just tea and coffee and fruit juice which always tastes too sweet to me.

We had a water fountain in the playground at school and I was the only one of my friends who used it.

I even like a glass of water after tea or coffee. I don’t like alcohol.

I’ve had tests and I’m definitely not diabetic!

Your post was interesting karmalady
I agree. I have read in the past that as our thirst mechanism decreases as we age, we shouldn’t wait until we feel thirsty to have some fluid as we are probably already slightly dehydrated by that stage.

That’s right.

The British Dietetic Association (dietietic not diabetic) say:

Simply waiting for the sensation of thirst is not a good enough sign of a need to drink – by the time we feel thirsty our body is already dehydrated and potentially suffering some of the effects.

Equally, simply drinking to eliminate the feeling of thirst does not fully hydrate the body.

The best indicator of good hydration is urine colour, a pale straw coloured urine being a reliable indicator of good hydration. Darker coloured urine is a sure sign that the body needs more fluid.

www.bda.uk.com/resource/the-importance-of-hydration.html

Yes - the paler the better.

Since DH recovered from sepsis caused by a UTI, we ensure that our urine is as pale as possible at least straw colour if not slightly clearer.

I drink a lot. Not that keen on water especially if it’s been heavily chlorinated. I have large 3/4 pint mugs and drink at least 6 of those daily.
People seem to carry their water bottles like security blanket these days, like the OP who panicked when it was “lost”. Rather than take several large gulps, most people only have a sip every “5 minutes”.
One thing about water is that people don’t realise that tap water is perfectly safe to drink, preferring the kudos of having expensive bottled water. Expensive on the environment too.

Can't bear adults slurping out of bottles, what's wrong with a glass/mug/plastic cup?

You do not need to drink water, what is necessary is that you consume enough fluid across a day, whether it is tea, coffee, water or you eat fruit, or soup or have stew with lots of gravy.

When i was a kid no one carried water but in the summer there were water fountains in all the parks - also u could get ice poles and jubblies for just a penny or so x sometimes nowadays these things can feel more ‘rule based’ takes the fun away xxxxx

JackyB

I've never got into the habit, personally, and it's too late now to start overtaxing my 70-year-old bladder.

When I was younger I hardly drank any water but over the past few years I drink much more (I'm 73). I bought a fridge that dispenses chilled water and think that this makes water much more palatable. I certainly wouldn't buy bottled water, unless I fancied a fizzy elderflower cordial drink in the summer.
Sadly drinking more often means that I do end up having to go to the loo at least once during the night, but I try to drink it earlier in the day and this does make a difference!

I always take a water bottle out with me wherever I go.
I don’t necessarily drink an awful lot at home but am trying to up my intake as last year I had sunstroke very badly.
Nearly ended up in hospital but paramedics stabilised me.
They nagged me something rotten to drink plenty of water
at all times.
I am now much more conscious about drinking the stuff.

The only downside is that I have to spend a penny much more often.

P.S.
I might add that water has to be stone cold.
Warm water makes me gag.

We were brought up to always have a glass of water with our meals as children back in the 60’s. I think this may have stemmed from my father’s time in Egypt during his national service. My DH used to kid me on when we first met that I was the only person he knew who drank bottled water. My children are the same they all drink loads of water

I drink a large glass of SF squash with my lunch and evening meal and a few cups of coffee throughout the day, I take a glass of water to bed, as I sleep with my mouth open so get dry, but rarely drink it all. I make myself drink more in very warm weather as otherwise I get cramp. But don't think of drinking it otherwise.

I had to see a GP recently, a woman probably the same age as my daughter, early 50s. She asked me how much liquid I drink daily, and remarked that the older generation don't drink enough and that we're dehydrated a lot of the time. The younger generation however are so fixated on hydration that they can overdo it, with serious consequences.
As usual, moderation in all things.

My deputy head had ‘notions’ one of which was that she decided the dear pupils must ‘hydrate’ adequately. The school spent oodles giving every student a water bottle on a Monday morning and by Wednesday they’d lost nearly every one. The requests to attend the loo carried on, however, until they drove every teacher mad and the deputy got the message.

I didn’t laugh. No.

I’ve been stage 3 ckd for about 30 years. Recent blood test showed my kidney function had dipped. My rheumatologist phoned, said drink 2 litres of water a day and retest in 2 weeks. I did - kidney function back to normal for me

I've just been reading my aunt's memories of childhood & Dad's family used to drink homemade cider every lunchtime, even the children. My maternal grandad used to take bread, cheese & weak ale for his lunch every day.
They got their water from wells & springs & I think that might be why the weak alcohol was drunk rather than water, & also why they were really careful with water for bathing & cooking.

Greciangirl

P.S.
I might add that water has to be stone cold.
Warm water makes me gag.

I agree.
I do tend to drink a lot of water, enjoy it as long as it’s really cold and put ice cubes in quite often.
I don’t walk about carrying water tho.