Thank you Kaplods for your story and extended information you had. Yea, "everything in moderation" does seem to apply here to water, Heather, you're right. That's just downright scary what went on with your mom, Kaplods.

also keep in mind water can come from your food sources too. a piece fruit can often times be enough to assist with hydration.

aside from sodium depletion, drinking too much water can wash away other very important nutrients like potassium

It does seem that moderation is the hardest concept for humans to grasp. If there's a way to overdo anything, someone seems to find it.

It's one of the reasons I follow an exchange plan, otherwise I tend to go on food jags.

I'm a bit surprised I never turned orange when I went on carrot jags. I love raw carrots, but dislike most cooked carrots with the exception of carrots simmered slowly with a beef roast. I love beefy carrots with an unnatural passion (the beef is good too, but if I had to choose between the beef and the carrots, I'd choose the carrots).

I even learned the hard way that cooking four pounds of carrots with a one and a half pound roast results in an oddly carrot-flavored roast rather than yummy beef-flavored carrots.

Gosh now I want beefy carrots (I don't have a roast, but maybe tomorrow I'll simmer some carrots and onions in beef broth spiked with extra beef bouillon).

I think there's water in more of our food than most of us realize!!

I go by my output - drinking enough so urine is a very pale yellow. Bright yellow means not enough fluids.

Seagirl -- If you look a few posts up, you'll see that isn't always an accurate measure of hydration. Though, better than others, perhaps.

electrolytes are in a lot of fruit and veggies, so if you are eating a balanced diet with these foods then it shouldn't be a problem, i think one reason why water intoxication is rising is because people aren't eating these healthy natural foods that were put on earth for a purpose, and also ecstasy is causing water intox cases to rise.

of course there are exceptions as with the horror story of kaplods mom.
so if you are on any medicines for a pre existing condition do your research

luckily my body just wont let me drink to much water, i just can't do it, wish it was the same with food!! and i know i am getting enough because i haven't been thirsty in weeks.

if you are worried about water intoxication you might do some research on it, and ways to replenish your electrolytes etc....

my best friend can't handle sodium too well, she can't add extra seasonings to food, can't do saltwater fish, and she drinks a fair amount of water, as she also diets.. and usually she does okay, sometimes her body well swell up from it, she can't sweat so if she gets over heated or anything she just swells.

and i may be wrong or whatever, but a human body is 70 percent or so water, so i am assuming a person that weighs more needs more water to function than a person that is a healthy weight and i would also say that a heavy person also has a lot more toxins that need flushed out. not saying that you should try to flush them out in one day..lol..

so i guess it comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what works for your body, since there is no one right answer