Tom Willemann Health Tips

"Regular Health Tips From Physical Therapist Tom Willemann..."

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True or False? I should drink 8 cups of water a day.

Tom Willemann |

glasses of water

Answer:  False, and here’s the explanation:

The initial recommendation was
made in 1945 by the Food and Nutrition Board, now the Institute of Medicine.  WOW!  Just under 70 years old, oversimplified, and still quoted over and over!

Most people who read this study did not read the details . The recommendation

  • is based on an average caloric intake of 1900 calories per day.

 

  • notes that there are many sources of water in a normal day’s intake, for example coffee, soda, vegetables and liquid or near liquid foods (note: these DO NOT include most salty snacks).

 

  • Water may be the most effective way to hydrate but it is not the only way.

Another factor to consider before drinking 8 cups per day is the common sense observation:

  • 6’4″ male who works in construction and trains for triathlons does not have the same hydration needs as a 5’1″ female office worker who enjoys cooking and is relatively sedentary.

As with all information found on the web one should always question the source and realize that general recommendations are all based on statistical averages. Only a health practitioner who has conducted an individual evaluation can determine what your fluid intake should be.

The current recommendation of the Institute of Medicine is that, from all sources combined,

  • The average female requires 2.2 liters (a little over 9 cups (1C=8 oz)) per day

 

  • The average man requires about 3 liters (a little over 12 cups (1C=8 oz)) per day

Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Wyckoff, NJ provides orthopedic and sports physical therapy services for the greater Ridgewood, Wyckoff, and Bergen County region.  This blog is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. The views expressed here are the author’s views and should be taken as suggestions. Always consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner before engaging in a physical therapy or rehabilitative program.

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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