https://www.ted.

com/talks/jen_gunter_why_you_don_t_need_8_glasses_of_water_a_day

Why you don't need 8 glasses of water a day

You know the old rule that you need to drink eight glasses of water every day? It's simply a myth,
says Dr. Jen Gunter. In this episode, she explains the amazing way your kidneys keep your
system in balance -- and how you can really tell if you're dehydrated. Want to hear more from Dr.
Gunter? Check out her podcast Body Stuff, from the TED Audio Collective.

You know that whole thing about drinking eight glasses of water a day? Sorry to have to tell you
this, but it's a myth. It won't make your skin brighter, it won't make you feel clearheaded, it won't
make you feel more energetic. It might, however, make you have to pee a lot.

Many people don't understand the biology behind their bodies. There's a lot of misinformation
out there. But the truth is that when you understand how your systems function, you're able to
make better decisions. You're not as prone to fall for hype or pseudoscience. You'll feel
empowered to understand what's really going on.

One myth that really bugs me is the idea that you need eight glasses of water a day. Honestly, it's
pretty shocking how ingrained it is. You hear it on TV, you see it in articles. But like I said, it's
nonsense. For the most part, your body will tell you when you need to drink water, because
you've got these wonderful, amazing, undervalued things -- kidneys.

Kidneys are the bean-shaped organs located to either side of your spine, right below your ribs.
They're often thought of as a filter or a waste-removal system, but that doesn't do the kidneys
justice. Your body is an environment where everything, fluid and chemicals, needs to be in a
delicate balance. The kidneys do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to this balance. Every
day, blood in your body passes through the kidneys. What you eat, drink, the temperature around
you, how much you exercise -- all of this affects what's going on with your body. Your kidneys,
along with your nervous system and various hormones, are constantly watching many gauges
and making adjustments about fluid, salt and levels of other substances in real time.

They do this with about one million tiny structures called nephrons. These nephrons are kind of
like workers on a conveyor belt, actively adding things and taking things away, things like
sodium, glucose or sugar, calcium, amino acids and water, to make sure the body maintains
homeostasis, or balance. If levels of anything get too high or too low, then that can be harmful.
And it is the job of the kidneys to keep the levels of many of these substances in the just-right
zone. Substances that aren't needed leave the kidney and head to the bladder, where you
excrete them in the form of urine.

So where do eight glasses of water a day fit in? They don't. Noticed that I did not say that the
kidney function is improved with excess water. Imagine that you're sweating a lot, so you're
losing water from your blood. The kidneys know your blood volume is dropping ever so slightly
and that your blood is getting ever so slightly saltier. They compensate by absorbing more water
back into the blood, making the urine more concentrated. If the kidneys sense enough fluid can't
be reabsorbed from the urine, you're signaled to drink, meaning you get thirsty. If you don't have
fluid available, the thirst message gets stronger and stronger. A person facing real dehydration
won't be unsure if they need water. They'll do whatever they need to get it. It's one of our most
basic instincts that's evolved over a very long time, in environments where clean water wasn't
nearly as readily available as it is today.

So thanks to your kidneys, your body is really good at maintaining hydration. But if you stop
counting eight glasses of water a day, how much should you be drinking? The answer is simple:
there is no should. When you feel thirsty, drink some water. You can trust your body. Unless you
have kidney stones or are elderly -- sometimes, our messaging systems get a little worn with age
-- or your doctor has told you otherwise, constantly monitoring how much water you drink is not
really necessary.

Here's a point that's often missed: every single thing you consume contains water. Your morning
coffee has water, so does your breakfast. And that snack -- an apple, an orange, a glass of juice,
a granola bar -- just like you, they're made of water too. So as long as you're listening to your
body's internal sense of thirst, there's really no need to be counting those eight glasses.

Collocation English Azerbaijani Russian

Definition
drink water To consume Su içmǝk пить воду
water to stay
hydrated
eight glasses of The often- Gündǝ sǝkkiz восемь
water quoted amount stǝkan su стаĸанов воды
of water people
think they need
daily
feel thirsty To experience Susamaq hiss чувствовать
the need or etmǝk жажду
desire to drink
kidney function The operation of Böyrǝk фунĸция почеĸ
the kidneys in funksiyası
regulating fluids
and waste
waste-removal A system in the Tullantıların система
system body that gets çıxarılması выведения
rid of waste sistemi отходов
materials
delicate balance A fragile or fine Hǝssas balans хрупĸий
equilibrium that баланс
must be
maintained
make To change or Düzǝlişlǝr вносить
adjustments modify slightly etmǝk ĸорреĸтивы
to achieve
balance
maintain To keep the Homeostazı поддерживать
homeostasis body’s internal saxlamaq гомеостаз
environment
stable
get dehydrated To lose more Susuz qalmaq обезвоживатьс
water than you я
take in
signal to drink When your body İçmǝyǝ siqnal посылать
tells you to vermǝk сигнал пить
consume fluids
concentrated Urine with less Konsentrlǝşmiş ĸонцентрирова
urine water, more sidik нная моча
waste — a sign
of dehydration
 trust your body To rely on your Bǝdǝninǝ доверять
body’s natural güvǝnmǝk своему телу
instincts
monitor intake To watch how Qǝbul edilǝn ĸонтролироват
much you are miqdarı izlǝmǝk ь потребление
consuming
internal sense of Natural urge to Daxili susuzluq внутреннее
thirst drink regulated hissi чувство жажды
by the brain
evolved over Developed Zamanla эволюциониро
time gradually over tǝkamül вать со
generations keçirmǝk временем
basic instinct A fundamental Əsas instinkt базовый
natural urge or инстинĸт
behavior
clean water Safe and Tǝmiz içmǝli su чистая вода
uncontaminated
drinking water
constantly Checking Daimi nǝzarǝt постоянный
monitoring regularly and ĸонтроль
frequently
consume water Take water into Su istehlak потреблять
the body by etmǝk воду
drinking or
eating

Here are conversation questions you can use with your student based on the text and the
collocations list. The questions cover comprehension, vocabulary practice, and personal
opinion, and are aimed at encouraging discussion and critical thinking.

⸻
 Comprehension & Discussion Questions
1. Have you heard the idea that we should drink eight glasses of water a
day? Do you believe it’s true? Why or why not?
2. According to Dr. Gunter, what is the main job of the kidneys?
(Use: “kidney function”, “waste-removal system”, “delicate balance”)
3. What happens in your body when you start to get dehydrated?
(Use: “feel thirsty”, “concentrated urine”, “signal to drink”)
4. What does it mean to ‘maintain homeostasis’? Can you explain it in
your own words?
5. Dr. Gunter says that every food contains water. Can you name some
foods or drinks that help you stay hydrated?
(Use: “consume water”)
6. How do the kidneys know when to make adjustments to fluid levels in
your body?
(Use: “make adjustments”, “monitor intake”)
7. What are some examples of a ‘basic instinct’? Is thirst one of them?
Why?
8. Why do some people, like the elderly, need to be more careful about
hydration?
9. What do you think about the idea of ‘trust your body’ when it comes
to drinking water? Is it good advice for everyone?
10. How would you explain the phrase ‘evolved over time’ in the context
of how humans sense thirst?

Vocabulary Practice Questions (Using Collocations)

1. What does “get dehydrated” mean? Can you describe how it feels?
2. Can you give an example of when your body might “signal to drink”?
3. What’s the difference between “monitor intake” and “trust your body”?
4. How does “concentrated urine” help your doctor know if you’re
dehydrated?
5. What is a “delicate balance” in the human body? Why is it important?

Personal Opinion & Daily Life Questions

1. Do you usually count how much water you drink every day? Why or why
not?
2. What do you think of people carrying big water bottles all day? Is it
necessary?
 3. How does your body usually tell you it needs water? Do you listen to those
signals?
4. Do you think schools or workplaces should encourage people to drink
more water? Why?
5. In your opinion, why do myths like ‘8 glasses a day’ become so popular
even if they’re not based on science?

Advanced Discussion Questions (C1–C2 level)

1. Dr. Gunter argues that the idea of drinking eight glasses of water a
day is a myth. Why do you think such health myths persist despite
scientific evidence to the contrary?
(Optional prompt: What role does media or wellness marketing play in this?)
2. How do the kidneys contribute to maintaining homeostasis, and what
would be the potential consequences if this system failed?
*(Use collocations: “maintain homeostasis”, “make adjustments”, “delicate
balance”)
3. The speaker emphasizes trusting your body’s internal sense of thirst.
In what ways might modern lifestyles interfere with our ability to do that?
4. Considering that all food and drink contain some level of water, how
might cultural differences in diet influence hydration habits?
(Use collocation: “consume water”)
5. What are the dangers of overhydration, and how might an obsession
with ‘clean living’ contribute to it?
6. How reliable do you think subjective cues like thirst are when it
comes to maintaining proper hydration — especially in high-performance
or clinical settings?
7. The kidneys are described as more than just a ‘waste-removal
system’. How would you explain their broader physiological role to
someone unfamiliar with anatomy?
*(Use collocations: “kidney function”, “make adjustments”, “signal to drink”)
8. Dr. Gunter mentions that thirst is a ‘basic instinct’ that evolved over
time. Can you think of other biological instincts that modern culture tries
to override? Are we better off doing so?
9. In public health messaging, how should we balance simplification
(like ‘8 glasses a day’) with accuracy and nuance?
10. What are some signs that a widely accepted health recommendation
might actually be pseudoscience? How can laypeople identify these red
flags?