Were we all constantly dehydrated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WE DRANK FROM THE HOSE

Also if you had a nice mom she would bring out koolaid!

[Anonymous]

I visited the school water fountain a lot during my school day back in the 90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people eat a decent diet full of real food, they get most of the hydration they need from that food.

Today most Americans get 60% or more of their calories from ultra processed foods, which are typically high in sodium and other additives that can be dehydrating.

It is very doubtful from a basic science standpoint that most people who carry around a water bottle all day actually need as much water as they are consuming. It's encouraged because if not extreme there is no harm, and it might distract the person from consuming more calories than necessary.

But no, most people eating real food don't need to consume as much water as many are today consuming. Which is sad because we are depleting water resources which are not easily replenishable, and in many cases people are not using long term reusable water bottles and the burden on the environment and other species of the castoff plastic is massive.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=You've%20probably%20heard%20the,a%20day%20might%20be%20enough.

Meh, people ate "ultra processed foods" back in the day, too. Bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, etc. have long been staples of the American diet. You can't make those without a process.

Yes. But not the ultra processed goldfish, pretzel sticks and veggie straws every hour for a snack. Those are also really salty.

Whatever are you talking about? We had goldfish and pretzels back in the day. I give you that veggie straws are new.

One thing that DID happen was during the "low fat" craze in the 1980s, a lot of "diet foods" upped the sodium to compensate for removing fat and sugar from their ingredients.

[Anonymous]

GenXer here.

Milk AND juice at breakfast. Milk at lunch and dinner.

My private school kindergarten snack was red punch in a paper cup and one tiny sugar cookie.

Class party? Someone’s mom brought cans of Hawaiian Punch (and the tool that “punched” triangular pour holes - ours was aqua). We loved punch and juice from cans - also served at every Brownie and Girl Scout meeting.

Sometimes they’d be a line at the water fountains in every school hallway especially after recess. You’d get one quick sip before your classmates will yell at you to hurry up.

There were good water fountains (large, aluminum sided, noisy with high stream and clean drain that would shoot out freezing cold water with simple push button) near the main office and then there were the gross white ceramic water fountains mounted in the gyms and hallways that barely emitted room temp water that you had to turn clockwise. Tough to do while holding books.

One of my first life lessons from my parents was to NEVER get your mouth anywhere near the faucet. I recall a habit of flicking your wrist to try the fountain - always had to check the pressure-if it was dribbling out, hard pass.

[Anonymous]

Even worse than the lack of water (we never owned a water bottle and snacks were not a thing either) was the constant pop drinking (sorry I was born in Michigan!) Everyone's garage had a selection of 12 packs to choose from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WE DRANK FROM THE HOSE

And the school’s bubbler/water fountain. We just lined up and slurped from the same place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even worse than the lack of water (we never owned a water bottle and snacks were not a thing either) was the constant pop drinking (sorry I was born in Michigan!) Everyone's garage had a selection of 12 packs to choose from.

In my world, your family was rich. We had water, as much powdered milk and frozen OJ concentrate as you wanted to stir up. Hungry? Grab a chunk of government cheese.

[Anonymous]

I don't think I owned a water bottle until after college (so post 2000). I guess for sports we used the triangle cups from the big orange water jug? And I always had juice boxes at lunch.

[Anonymous]

When at or around home we drank ice cold tap water from the white plastic milk jug straight from the jug, always while standing in front of the open fridge door.

The extra blast of coke air was refreshing.

Snacks were carrots with salt or celery with peanut butter. If we were really hungry you made a sandwich or toast.

Salt helps retain water and the natural foods contain a lot of water.

In our free play time we usually didn’t stray far from home or a friends home so if you needed a glass of water you got one from someone’s house.

Everywhere else you just drank from the refrigerated silver water fountains and they were everywhere.

We were also a lot thinner back then so also had less mass to hydrate.

We had thermoses, for family outings, sports activities or work.

And we had much better tolerance for discomfort. Being thirsty was uncomfortable, but in a country with plentiful, on demand and safe drinking water, being thirsty isn’t life threatening. It wasn’t then and it isn’t now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people eat a decent diet full of real food, they get most of the hydration they need from that food.

Today most Americans get 60% or more of their calories from ultra processed foods, which are typically high in sodium and other additives that can be dehydrating.

It is very doubtful from a basic science standpoint that most people who carry around a water bottle all day actually need as much water as they are consuming. It's encouraged because if not extreme there is no harm, and it might distract the person from consuming more calories than necessary.

But no, most people eating real food don't need to consume as much water as many are today consuming. Which is sad because we are depleting water resources which are not easily replenishable, and in many cases people are not using long term reusable water bottles and the burden on the environment and other species of the castoff plastic is massive.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=You've%20probably%20heard%20the,a%20day%20might%20be%20enough.

Meh, people ate "ultra processed foods" back in the day, too. Bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, etc. have long been staples of the American diet. You can't make those without a process.

Yes. But not the ultra processed goldfish, pretzel sticks and veggie straws every hour for a snack. Those are also really salty.

Whatever are you talking about? We had goldfish and pretzels back in the day. I give you that veggie straws are new.

One thing that DID happen was during the "low fat" craze in the 1980s, a lot of "diet foods" upped the sodium to compensate for removing fat and sugar from their ingredients.

I dunno im was born in 81 and i didn't get any snacks beyond and apple, orange, maybe buttered bread and bananas.

[Anonymous]

I remember being taken to the water fountain in elementary school. In middle/high school my mom would send disposable bottles of water with me but I would never drink it because going to the bathroom in middle/high school is a whole "thing". The teachers never want to let you go and a lot of the bathrooms would be locked between classes so I 'd have to run around trying to find a bathroom that was open to use. It stressed me out so much I tried to avoid drinking water at school and I definitely was dehydrated.

I don't know what this is such a topic of conversation - I am glad kids are drinking more water now. The constant snacking I could do without.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - we eat a pretty non-processed food diet. And we don’t buy water bottles. Everything is refillable.

But I can sincerely feel a difference now when I don’t drink enough water. Maybe my body is used to it now.

Your body for sure gets used to it. I started drinking massive amounts of water while pregnant and breastfeeding and now I definitely feel a difference when I don't drink as much.

[Anonymous]

My childhood blood stream was 75% kool aid. Or flavor aid if it was a leaner month.

[Anonymous]

You get used to constantly drinking water. Just like your lips start to need chapstick if you use it all the time. Just have fewer water breaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My childhood blood stream was 75% kool aid. Or flavor aid if it was a leaner month.

Our off brand Kool Aid was called Wyler's. I drank a mix of Kool Aid and soda, never juice or milk. Basically never water. My parents are still like this today, only they switched to all diet at some point. Lots of salty snacks too. I assume I was pretty dehydrated.