How Much Water to Drink the Wydoff Method

Dr. Boris Wydoff

I often begin a conversation about health with water. Clean water is needed by the intestines, kidneys, and normal fluid balance in the body. In my system, it is one of the first daily habits. It is important not only how much water a person drinks, but also when they drink it.

Why do I start the day with a glass of water?

After the overnight break without water, I advise starting the morning with a glass of warm water. It is better to drink calmly, in small sips, before eating. This is a simple step that helps gently bring the body into its morning routine.

I pay special attention to water because of the work of the intestines. When there is too little fluid, it may be harder for a person to maintain regular digestion. My practice shows that it is worth looking first at simple things — water, food, movement, and routine.

Water is also important for kidney function. Every day, the kidneys help regulate the composition of the blood and remove metabolic waste. That is why I see water not as a separate drink, but as the foundation of a daily routine.

If the intestines are not working regularly, water alone may not be enough. In my system, water is combined with other habits. I explain food and food combinations in more detail in the article how to drink carrot juice properly and combine it with other foods.

What do I associate with a lack of water in the morning?

I pay attention not only to the intestines. After the night, a person may wake up feeling sluggish because the body has gone a long time without water. In my approach, morning water helps restore this simple part of the routine before eating.

I also associate water with breathing. After a glass of water, I advise taking ten slow breaths by an open window. The exhalation should be longer than the inhalation, and the breathing should come from the abdomen and lower ribs, without raising the shoulders.

This short breathing pause can be repeated three times a day. In the morning, it comes after the water. During the day and in the evening, these are two more calm pauses when a person brings attention back to their breathing and their state.

How much water should I drink during the day?

My usual guideline is 6–8 glasses of clean water throughout the day. At the same time, I do not advise forcing yourself to drink. It is important to consider thirst and the state of the body.

I mean clean water specifically. Tea, coffee, fruit drinks, and store-bought beverages do not replace it. Coffee and black tea can dry out tissues, so water remains a separate part of the routine after them.

There is a common mistake: a person remembers water only in the evening and tries to drink the whole amount at once. I do not consider this the right approach. It is better to spread water throughout the day and drink it in small portions.

In my method, consistency matters more than chasing a certain quantity. A morning glass, water before meals, and clean water between meals create a calm daily rhythm.

How is water connected with metabolism?

I also see water as the first helper of metabolism. The blood carries nutrients, while the kidneys remove what is unnecessary. Therefore, in my understanding, the movement of water is part of daily metabolism.

Sometimes a person mistakes thirst for hunger. They feel they need something to chew, although the body needs water first. At such a moment, I advise drinking water and waiting 20–30 minutes.

If the desire to snack has passed, it means thirst was worth checking first. This simple order helps prevent food from becoming a constant companion throughout the day. I prefer to gradually reduce the habit of frequent snacking.

Why do I advise warm water in the morning?

In the morning, I choose warm water. After waking, drink a glass before eating, without rushing. There is no need to drink it all at once. I do not recommend ice-cold water in the morning. In my approach, the beginning of the day should be calm. Warm water gently wakes the stomach and intestines.

After the water, I advise paying attention to breathing. In my materials, I separately discuss a calm breathing pause after the morning glass. The principle is simple: first water, then a measured start to the day.

Why do I not advise drinking water all at once?

I do not like rushing even with such a simple habit as drinking water. When a person drinks a glass all at once, they turn a useful action into a mechanical procedure. I advise small sips and a calm pace.

The same rule applies to breathing. There is no need to take too many breaths or make yourself dizzy. Ten calm breaths are enough.

In the morning, you can open a window, drink warm water, and then take a breathing pause. It takes little time, but creates a certain order at the start of the day. I consider this order more important than trying to change everything at once.

When is the best time to drink water before meals?

My rule is: a glass of clean water 20–30 minutes before each meal. This way, water becomes part of the routine rather than an occasional habit.

I do not advise drinking during meals or immediately afterward. I follow a pause of about an hour to an hour and a half after eating. This is connected with my view of the digestive process.

If a person is used to constantly washing down food, the habit can be changed gradually. First, move the glass of water to before the meal. Then keep water between meals.

I explain the home rules for preparing drinks and herbs in detail in the article how to brew herbs properly. The same principle matters there: order and simplicity of action.

What should I do if I constantly want to snack?

I advise first checking whether the person really needs food. If the desire to chew something appears between main meals, first drink some water and wait 20–30 minutes.

This approach helps distinguish the habit of snacking from ordinary thirst. If a person is used to eating often, there is no need to break the habit in one day. I advise reducing snacks gradually.

In my routine, food should have its own time. Water remains a separate habit. This makes it easier for a person to see their own daily pattern and understand where they are acting automatically.

What happens to the intestines if there is too little water?

I often associate water with intestinal function. When there is not enough fluid, it is harder for the intestines to move food along. Therefore, when there is heaviness in the abdomen, I first look at basic habits.

But water does not work separately from food. I advise adding vegetables to every meal — raw and stewed. Fiber requires an adequate drinking routine. I do not advise immediately making laxatives a daily habit. In my approach, first look at water, food, movement, and intestinal routine.

There are simple steps that I use in my system. In the evening, you can soak 5–6 prunes, and in the morning eat them and drink the water they were soaked in. You can also add ground flaxseed to food — one tablespoon a day, with water.

Movement is also important. I advise walking for at least half an hour a day. A regular walk is part of the overall routine for caring for the intestines. If the problem keeps returning, do not limit yourself to water alone. It is better to look at the whole lifestyle: food, movement, and daily routine.

Why do I always connect fiber with water?

Fiber itself does not replace a drinking routine. I advise vegetables with every meal, but at the same time I pay attention to water. This is especially important if a person adds flax or other sources of fiber.

There is another simple mistake — eating a lot of fiber without enough fluid. In that case, a person may get the opposite effect. That is why vegetables, flax, and water go together in my system.

I also advise not ignoring the urge to use the bathroom. It is useful to train the intestines to a certain time. It is better to calmly set aside time for this in the morning and not postpone the natural urge.

How is water connected with the kidneys?

Every day, the kidneys regulate the composition of the blood and remove metabolic waste. That is why water has an important place in my understanding of the overall routine. But I do not advise independently increasing the amount of fluid in cases of kidney disease. If a doctor has prescribed a fluid restriction, follow that exact limit. The same applies to heart disease. In such a situation, the morning glass of warm water should be discussed with a doctor.

I also do not advise using diuretic teas indiscriminately. They affect the removal of water, but they do not replace finding the cause of the problem. I explain other elements of the overall routine in the article an overloaded liver: signs and how to relieve its burden. Water, food, and intestinal function are connected.

Why do I talk about water as the basis of kidney function?

A very large volume of blood passes through the kidneys every day. In my books, I explain that about 1500–2000 liters of blood pass through them in 24 hours. The kidneys return a significant part of the fluid back to the blood while also regulating its composition.

Their work is not limited to removing water. The kidneys remove uric acid, urea, salts, excess calcium, and other metabolic waste. That is why I see water as part of the overall order that helps the body maintain internal balance.

I do not begin caring for the kidneys with herbs alone. In my system, the first steps are general cleansing, water, food, and normal intestinal function. And with pain, severe swelling, stones, or chronic disease, a doctor is needed.

What kind of water do I choose?

For daily drinking, I choose clean water. I advise filtering tap water. I pay attention to cleaning household water of impurities. Boiled water is acceptable as an everyday option, but when possible, filtered water is better.

For preparing infusions and juices, I use water after distillation, that is, distilled water. In my methods, this is connected with the desire to reduce the amount of inorganic salts and impurities in the water.

The main thing is not to turn the choice of water into a complicated system. For a daily routine, it is enough to understand the difference between clean water and drinks that do not replace it.

Why do I pay attention to the quality of household water?

I consider water quality a separate part of household hygiene. That is why I advise installing water filters not only in the kitchen, but also in the shower and bathroom. In my books, I connect this with reducing the amount of chlorine and fluoride in household water.

I pay particular attention to water when a person regularly uses water treatments. Here, luxury and complicated equipment are not important. What matters is clean water, moderation, and consistency.

Water can be part of the simplest household habits. There is no need to wait for a trip to a resort or a natural spring. In my approach, the main thing is to use available means reasonably and regularly.

Should I change my water routine after sixty?

As people age, they may notice thirst less. As a result, water sometimes moves into the background, and a person remembers it only in the evening. After sixty, I advise paying closer attention to drinking habits. If a doctor has not restricted fluids, you can distribute the usual 6–8 glasses throughout the day. At the same time, there is no need to mechanically drink a huge amount of water. I do not support the habit of forcing yourself to drink.

If a doctor has established a fluid restriction because of the heart or kidneys, their instructions remain the guideline.

How can I start without making sudden changes?

I do not advise changing your whole lifestyle in one day. Start with one simple action. During the first few days, it is enough to add a morning glass of warm water before eating. Drink slowly, in small sips. Then you can add water 20–30 minutes before meals. During the day, keep the guideline of 6–8 glasses of clean water according to thirst.

On the fifth to seventh day, pay attention to the habit of drinking during meals. If you drink with your food, move the water to before the meal or to the intervals between meals.

Then reinforce the routine. In the morning — warm water. Before meals — a glass 20–30 minutes beforehand. During the day — clean water according to thirst.

How do I suggest building the habit?

I do not consider it right to introduce dozens of new rules at once. In my protocol, water and routine come first. Only after getting used to them can you add the next elements.

The first week can be devoted to water: warm water in the morning, water before meals, and the usual 6–8 glasses throughout the day. Then you can add support for the intestines — vegetables, prunes, flax, and walking.

I advise giving the body time to adjust. After that, you can gradually reinforce the other habits. For me, a stable routine is more important than a short burst of effort lasting a few days.

What are the most common mistakes with water?

The first mistake is drinking water all at once. I advise drinking calmly and in small sips. The second mistake is counting tea and coffee as full substitutes for water. I do not do this. Clean water remains a separate part of the routine. The third mistake is starting the day with ice-cold water. For the morning glass, I choose warm water. The fourth mistake is drinking during meals and immediately afterward. In my routine, water is taken before meals and between meals.

The fifth mistake is trying to drink the entire daily amount in a short time. It is better to spread water out calmly. The sixth mistake is forgetting about water when increasing the amount of fiber. Vegetables, flax, and other sources of fiber require an adequate drinking routine.

What other mistakes interfere with the routine?

I see another mistake: a person expects quick changes and abandons the habit after a few days. In my system, water works as part of an overall routine. That is why I advise not expecting a miracle by evening, but calmly returning to the routine after every setback.

There is no need to scold yourself for breaking the habit. If a person falls out of the routine, they can start again the next morning. Warm water, water before meals, and a calm routine restore the foundation without unnecessary fuss.

I also advise not forgetting movement. A 30–40 minute walk, water, and a regular daily routine should complement one another. This is a simple set of habits that is easier to maintain consistently.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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