----- Original Message -----
From: "Leigh Stone"

> Do I need to drink  min 3 litres of water per day as on other lo-carb
plans?
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I think it was Don who made the observation a while back that Paleo people
probably didn't walk around sipping water all day.  My take on it is that
when they drank, they drank deeply and fully and to satisfaction.
Basically, this is what I do.  I'm not really a sipper, though I do carry a
bottle of water with me at all times.  Incidentally, I can drink more and
longer when water is room temp or slightly cooler than when it is fridge
cold.

There is a largely undiscussed but growing body of evidence that
over-sloshing oneself can be downright dangerous as it disrupts the
electrolyte balance, leading to palpitations/arrythmia, and in the extreme
to possible CV collapse and death. (It's long been known that mothers who
bottle feed their infants can unintentionally harm them by giving too much
water in lieu of formula.)   Ironically, the symptoms of hyponatremia, such
as dizziness, weakness, and disorientation, mimic those of dehydration.
Women--and, especially, women who engage in endurance events--seem to be
particularly subject to hyponatremia.  (And ingesting ibuprofen beforehand
can increase the likelihood of this happening.)

So how much water is enough?   Apparently the "one size fits all"
recommendations do not apply as *need* actually seems to be based on a
variety of factors, including but not limited to body size,  perhaps gender
because of monthly hormonal shifts, temperature and humidity, amount of
activity/exercise, and, I suppose, probably some other factors too, but
these come to mind.

I read recently that some group (Was it the American Academy of Sciences?)
was looking to answer "how much" because the amount we are routinely advised
to drink is not applicable across the board.

From my own experience,  Atkins' and slogging down barrels of water are a
bad combo.   It took me several hours of very erratic heartbeats one day to
figure out what was at the root of the problem and why the atenolol I have
to take for an existing arrythmia problem wasn't working (and wondering
pretty seriously whether I needed to go to the hospital), but once the light
bulb went off,  I stopped at the local health food store and got a bottle of
water that was labeled w/electrolytes.  This helped a little, but did not
completely resolve the problem.  At least it got me back to my own personal
vet who grabbed a cow bolus (cal/mag/pot/sodium) and did some quick math
since I don't weigh 2200 lbs <LOL> and gave it to me.  I'm not exaggerating
a bit when I say that within just a very few minutes I was AOK, just as if
nothing had ever happened.  (And I'm glad I didn't go to the hospital and
get pumped full of dextrose.)

I've not had a bit of problem since doing Paleo, which in itself is pretty
low-carb and I am keeping it quite low since I want to shed a few pounds.
I don't count ounces/liters of water, so I guess you could say I intuitvely
adjust my water intake up or down by listening to my body.  But the
evidence--moist lips and mouth and mucous membranes, and color of urine and
amount--indicates I'm getting plenty enough.  Paleo Rules!

Theola