I read somewhere that many of us walk around in a dehydrated state especially people like me who live in a climate that is warm to scorching hot 11 months out of the year.
I've also read that we store toxins in our fat so I do think it is really important especially in the first few weeks of induction when doing Atkins to make an effort to drink more water than usual to help the kidneys flush out these toxins.
Your kidneys will thank you and if anyone is taking medicine, more water is a good idea.
Many people don't realize but over the counter meds like Aleve, when it was only available by prescription had a long write-up that came with the prescription on the side effects, one of which stressed the importance of drinking more water because this med. taxes the kidneys (in so many words).

Can you find actual scientific studies to back these things up? What? No?!?

https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/new...002_water.shtml





When I hear, or read, this sort of folksy wisdom that "everyone knows is right"... my skepticism bubbles to the surface.

And it really does tell us!

???

Swirl in the mix of chemical additives to modern food and drink, and yes we're having to second guess what our bodies are telling us..... Is it a chemical induced craving or real?

Which chemicals are those and, if they're so insidious as to shut off your sense of thirst, why are you eating them?

I drink an amount that I feel good at - I feel hydrated a 3-4 litres of fluid, as long as two litres of that is water. Less than that and I feel 'dry' and thirsty and headache-y.

My kidney function tests have always been fantastic. My guide is what works for me.

Yes I do know Jimmy is not a scientist. Neither is Gary Taubes. But both seek clarification from scientists. Westman is Jimmy's co-author, read every page of the manuscript, and steered Jimmy away from mistakes. In addition, Jimmy's book is riddled with quotes from current LC scientists including Volek and Phinney. He did a lot of research for the book in addition to doing a long term ketogenic diet himself.

I admire him for testing things out on himself and publicly posting his results on a regular basis. Like Atkins and Mike Eades, Jimmy has struggled with his weight and BG for years. That he is willing to share what he has learned is helpful for me.

I tend to use what is helpful to me. As a retired researcher and teacher of research methods at the university/post graduate level, I look very closely at the methods used in publicly published research and critique it for myself before I accept or reject it. I am very critical of research that is based upon an inadequate literature review (like the USDA Guidelines). I am also very critical of conclusions not based upon hard data. I am particularly critical of recommendations that generalize beyond the selected sample. But this is just me and highly colored/influenced by my background. I do not like sloppy work.

And just as another aside, I have been reading dieting research since the 1970's (before computers) with an eye toward discovering the characteristics of a successful dieter. And, like Jimmy, I tried all the published diets, and attended for profit weight loss programs, as well as university programs and OA, all without success. It wasn't until I tried PP that I lost significant weight and kept most of it off. Reading about dieting can probably be categorized as a hobby. I have read a lot of trash along the way too. So when I see someone experimenting on himself, I read more of that person's journey.

Sorry for the long winded answer to your brief question. For some reason I felt I had to defend myself.

Don't dis Gary Taubes. He's got an amazing background. If there's anyone that can marry science and journalism together, it is him.

http://garytaubes.com/biography/


Jimmy is a good man, but he lacks the ability to separate good science from bad -- as most of us do. He posts some sketchy stuff on Google+ from time to time, like a recent thing about ibuprofen extending lifespan. Sure, it does in mice and fruit flies, but it is easy to extend the lifespan of short lived things. Not so easy in humans.

I did not dis Gary Taubes. You have misread me.

outstanding response. I to do not like sloppy work. Few things are more frustrating than doing month's worth of work and finding out that a mistake was made along away.

I don't have such a high opinion of Jimmy Moore.I think he's good for giving enthusiasm but he's too quick to put a narrative to things when they have not been established. I am not as confident as you that dr westman proof read Jimmy Moore's book as closely as we would like.

I'm away from my home computer now posting from my cell phone and finding it very difficult to put together a well written response. Hopefully after I get home I'll have the motivation to respond in detail.

Here is a list of references on adequate hydration. I found several googling "adequate hydration." This one includes funded research projects. Several agree with Meme's statements.

http://familydoctor.org/familydocto...bliography.html

Here is a really neat interview with Jeff Volek at a 100 mile marathon competition won by a low carber. (He doesn't look like the typical marathon runner!) He and Steve Phinney were there to see the difference in performance between low carb and high carb runners. He has a very nice answer to the question on hydration in this population later in the interview.

http://www.meandmydiabetes.com/2012...ff-volek-study/

Just combed "The Art and Science of Low Carb. Living" and there's no reference to how much you should drink, but there's a ton there on how sodium depleting a low carb diet. It also explains how you can't hang onto other minerals when you're sodium depleted and your body will actually tear down muscle to get more potassium.

You excrete sodium when you pee (and sweat).

Drink tons of fluid and you pee a lot.

Now, if you are very good about getting your 5g of sodium per day, then it might not be such an issue because you can better hang onto your liquid.

I'm referencing page 149 (in my Kindle book) of that particular book.

Athletes have different requirements. They lose a lot of water and sodium by sweating and breathing hard. However, so many times I hear about another marathon runner dying from hyponatremia because they drank too much during their run.

Ideally they should weigh themselves before a run and then after, only replacing exactly what they lost during the run. If not, then they risk having low sodium because they simply lose too much of it and it becomes too dilute. Nasty and deadly.

I have a vague memory of someone writing a book on that. Something something "problem,"? No — "Omni" something. Darn it! It's on the tip of my tongue!

Are you thinking of Lights Out ?

Liz, I was being ironic. Nancy's quote is the thesis of the famous (well, at least I thought it was famous) book The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

Totally missed the irony. I read The Omnivore's Dilemma some years ago - imo the last good book Pollan wrote (before he started instructing us on How and What to Eat).

I would have never connected Nancy's quote with that book, though.