Drinking water before, during, after a meal...

[stevebzzz]

Hi,

What are the thoughts about drinking water before, during, and after a meal? Does it aid/hurt the digestion process? Should I refrain from drinking for a certain amount of time before during and after a meal, or does it matter?

Thanks,

Steve

[Tigerlily]

I know some people get all "worked up" over drinking water and they believe one should only do it whenever, blah blah.

I do know if you drink water before eating, it will help fill you up (learned that from Weight Watchers). I also heard drinking water after eating flushes out all the nutrients you just ate but I am not sure.

[stevebzzz]

Well, I went from zero glasses of water a day two weeks ago...to 8 glasses a day, and I just wonder if drinking water close to eating dilutes the digestive process in the stomache or anything like that? Or as one of my friend says it helps cause it helps liquidy the food, and makes it easier to digest???

[harpy]

I try to drink most of my fluids between meals, but I don't worry if I have a mouthful or two with a meal.

I don't know whether there's any real evidence for the idea that water dilutes the digestive juices, but what is true I think is that you can sometimes eat more without realising it if you sluice it down with gulps of water :D

[LittleMissVegan]

Someone told me that you should drink loads of water before you eat to make you feel fuller then I read somewhere that you shouldn't drink half an hour before eating as it dilutes your digestive juices? Sorry that wasn't very helpful was it!! Be good to know though!

[stevebzzz]

Well, it definately makes me feel fuller...In fact...I find myself forcing myself to eat now lol!

[cedarblue]

are you wanting to lose weight steve? i was just wondering if that is your thinking behind drinking more water around meal times??

personally i would rather eat than feel full up and sloshy with water slopping around in my stomach. i generally have to force myself to drink whereas my husband and daughter are like sponges, they can just drink and drink :o

[Juice]

I noticed if I drink during a meal, it forces me to slow down and eat less because I feel fuller. I used to shovel it all in much too quickly.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Drinking water (or any fluid) prior to, during and just after eating dilutes your digestive fluids and and inhibit the digestion of food and the absorbtion of nutrients.

A general "rule" to support your digestion is to drink no more than 4 oz. before during or after the meal and to wait 30 minutes after drinking larger amounts of fluids before eating and 1 hour or more after a meal before drinking larger amounts of fluids.

[Artichoke47]

I say drink when you're thirsty, whether it's before, after, or during a meal, and all times are before, after, or during a meal unless you don't eat at all. ;)

For example, 6:00 a.m. is before 12:00 p.m., so it's before my lunch meal.

[Hemlock]

I have to drink about 4-5 pints of water daily due to a bladder nerve problem, if I don't drink the water I get agonising bladder spasms. It's the pits drinking all that water as I'm never off the toilet:( It does seem to have improved since I gave up dairy though. All that water doesn't seem to affect appetite or anything tho.

[ConsciousCuisine]

I have to drink about 4-5 pints of water daily due to a bladder nerve problem, if I don't drink the water I get agonising bladder spasms. It's the pits drinking all that water as I'm never off the toilet:( I drink at least tht much pure water daily (a gallon) or I don't feel well at all.

[Tigerlily]

If I drink less than 2L of water a day, I get really cranky!

[stevebzzz]

Well, after years of poor health, I stumbled upon the raw lifestyle in my research to feel better. I realize that a diet of raw fruits and vegetables is best, and I am trying towoards that goal. I have so far cut out meats, fish, chicken, sugar, soda, etc. I have seen miraculous results in just one week in terms of my health. I do have weight to lose, but that is just a secondary benefit of approaching a raw diet. The first thing I did was add water to my diet, 8 glasses a day from zero. I think that had a dramatic immediate effect. I have basically eliminated anything artificial or chemicals from my food. I'm juicing. More later...

Seve

[ConsciousCuisine]

Way to go Steve! This is a great place for support and you seem to have done a great bit of work towards a healthier you already.

The more you read about the "Raw" lifestyle, the more you'll learn about the importance of avoiding fluids before and when eating, chewing each bite 20+ times even if it's a liquid (eat what you drink and drink what you eat!) and so on. Best of luck!

[stevebzzz]

I wish I could just have an IV of vegetable juice just going into my arm all day long haha! The only problem I think I have...I'm just not eatting enough...I'm not hungry any more...ever since I started drinking all that water I guess. I worry if I'm getting enough vitamins and minerals and stuff. This all started when I started reading about and acid-alkaline diet, and then I started reading this book called being natural in an unnatural world, and I got so turned off by processed food and meats etc, that I barely wanna eat!

[stevebzzz]

Help,

I'm drinking 2 liters of water every day, but I'm barely peeing! Where is all the water going? I'm eatting very minimally, veg diet. Barely any salt...Strange. I've been on the program for about a week now.

Steve

[Zanahorias!]

Since you went from drinking such little water it is not unusual that your body would retain what you have been giving it. I'd recommend that you wait a week and see then, you should be more regular.

[stevebzzz]

Well I went from ZERO water to 2 liters per day in about 3 days. When I first started I peeed a lot...but now the water seems to be evaporating or going somewhere else...other than the toilet lol!

[Zanahorias!]

I suspect that peeing a lot at fist may be accounted to detox.

[stevebzzz]

Yes and I had a lot to detox! I lived totally on a junk food diet, with tv dinners etc! I feel really good now. But this water issue is just a mystery

[Zanahorias!]

Like I said, wait a week and you should start urinating more. You must understand that your body is using the new supplies of water it is getting for various processes that could have decreased functioning over the years of neglect, hence your feeling better.

Glad that you have been enlightened and have adopted a new, more ethical and healthy lifestyle.

[stevebzzz]

Hi,

I am looking for a simple green juice recipe for my machine. I want it to taste good, so maybe there would be an apple in there, but I also want to get some greens in there.

I have a really good juice machine that I like, the Breville Juice Fountain.

Thanks,

Steve

[stevebzzz]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could share some of thier experiences about juicers with me. I recently bought the Breville Juice Fountain, and am so far impressed, but I worry about it's ability to juice leafy green vegetables etc.

Is there one juicer to get that does it all, or do I need a seperate juicer for leafy greens etc...

Steve

[Geoff]

If you search the forum for 'juicer', you'll find 3 pages of results, giving you a lot of info. :)