http://easyayurveda.com/2012/09/14/how-much-water-should-you-actually-drink-ayurveda-opinion/

How Much Water Should You Actually Drink? Ayurveda Opinion

“Sir, you have written in your book that drinking water only when one is thirsty is good. But I have read in one book that thirst destroys body mechanism. Feeling thirsty is a sign of body weakness. Grab for water in a day even if you don’t feel thirsty.”
“Many health experts advise that one should drink 8 glasses of water. Is that true? What Ayurveda says about it?”
These are the questions from Maa! From USA and Vivek Tandon.
Let’s analyse.

There is no truth in thirst theory.We feel hungry. Does that destroy our body mechanism? Many people do food-less and water-less fasting. Have they caused injury to their bodies? No. So, there is no truth in saying that thirst is a sign of disaster.
We feel hungry, when the body needs food, similarly we feel thirsty when the body needs water. As per Ayurveda, thirst is one of “Vega” – an urge of the body, indicated a need.

Ayurvedic Mantra – Supply only when there is an urge.According to Ayurveda, thrist, hunger, sleep, sneezing, urination, defecation etc are called as natural urges.
Ayurveda preaches that “Not attending a natural urge, when it is there, and initiating an urge, when it is not there leads to disease. ”
For example, any healthy person should eat when he feels hunger. He should not eat, when there is no hunger.
Similarly, water should be had whenever there is thirst and it should be had, whenever there isn’t any thirst.

How much water should I drink? 
There are some theories that if you drink 8 glasses of water, it will detoxify and flush of all the toxins in the body. Excess of water drinking is good for skin, as it keeps it well nourished and hydrated.

But this is not true as per Ayurveda! As a co-incidence, researchers also have same opinion

Water is a coolant. Too much of water intake, even when you’re not feeling thirsty will cause indigestion and may cause or worsen a condition called as “Ama”. This is a product of improper digestion and metabolism at the level of digestive track and at the level of body tissues and cells. As per Ayurveda, ‘Ama’ is the precursor for a host of diseases.
Drinking a large quantity of water will cause increase of Kapha and Vata, and decrease of Pitta and digestion power.
Related reading – Greatest secret of Ayurveda

So, how much water to drink? 
Till you feel satiated. Stop it there. Satiation is a signal from your body to stop drinking.

Right time to drink water while taking food is, while taking food. Before food is not very recommended. After food, drink only if you’re feeling thirsty.

Questions for you -
Based on the above explanation, try to answer the below two questions, in the comment section below.
What if, you are feeling thirsty, before taking food?
What if you are feeling hungry and thirsty at the same ?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/8-glasses-of-water-a-day-an-urban-myth-1.1196386

8 glasses of water a day 'an urban myth'

Water and a well-balanced diet 'do far more than water alone,' Australian researcher says

CBC News Posted: Jun 10, 2012 12:51 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 10, 2012 12:48 AM ET

The common advice to drink eight glasses of water a day doesn't hold water, say nutrition and kidney specialists who want to dispel the myth.

"What drove us to drink two litres of water a day?" asks an editorial in this week's issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

The recommendation was driven by vested interests rather than health, suggests author Speros Tsindos of the department of dietetics and human nutrition at La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia.

Chef Rodney Bowers, left, pours a glass of water as Russell Smith, organizer of a campaign to encourage the drinking of tap water instead of bottled water at restaurants, looks on. Other beverages also help us meet the body's fluid needs, say nutrition specialists. (Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

"Humans need to maintain fluid balance and need to drink water when required, but should also consider fluid in unprocessed fruits and vegetables and juices. There is further evidence that water and a well-balanced diet does far more than water alone," Tsindos wrote.

"Water is important for health; however, the recommendation of eight glasses of pure water per day appears an overestimation of requirements."

Even a baked potato is 75 per cent water, said nutrition Prof. Susan Barr of the University of British Columbia, who sat on a Canadian-U.S. committee that looked at fluid intake.

"There's nothing magical about water from a glass of water as opposed to water from a food or any other beverage," Barr said.

Drinking caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee do not lead to dehydration, said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a nephrologist at the University of Pennsylvania who reviewed research claims on drinking eight glasses of water and studied how the kidneys handle it.

Let thirst guide you

"Drinking the coffee will count towards your total water intake for the day," Goldfarb said.

Goldfarb said despite the common idea that it's important to "drink eight glasses of eight ounces of water" a day, "There’s no evidence that benefits health in any real way and it really represents an urban myth."

There's no evidence you need to drink more water than what thirst dictates, Goldfarb added.

Studies on desert nomads showed people can consume minimal amounts of water in harsh environments. The military has also looked at how much water soldiers need to take with them when patrolling in hot climates without harming their performance.

"If one is just playing a game of tennis in an indoor facility, for example, or having a short run on a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym, the need to maintain hydration during that is just non-existent," Goldfarb advised.

People have died of dehydration and from drinking too much water too quickly.

A good guide to tell if the body’s finely tuned fluid balance is to check the colour of your urine. If it's very dark, you're on the dry side; if it's very light or translucent, then you need to drink a bit less water, said Dr. David Price, head of family medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.

http://easyayurveda.com/2013/11/14/drinking-water-before-or-after-food-a-wrong-habit-ayurveda-proof/

Drinking Water before or After food? A Wrong Habit – Ayurveda Proof

Mr Tarun Asks – Most of the Ayurvedic personnel say different things. Some doctors say that don’t drink water before food, in between food & at least for 1 hr after food. Some say that don’t take it before & after food but can be had in between meals. Can you please clarify this ? in my case I am drinking water in between meals & not before & after meals. Is this ok ?
Personally I too have seen in many online platforms, many Ayurvedic doctors suggesting to drink water after food. Let us nail this subject with authentic traditional reference once and for all. Let us empty out all doubts regarding this topic for once.

Drinking Water before or After food? A Wrong Habit – Ayurveda Proof

How much water should we actually drink?I have written about this, in detail here.To sum up, You are supposed to drink water only when thirsty. Thirst is a natural urge. Natural urges should be attended only when they arrive, as per Ayurveda. For example, we need to eat food only when we are hungry.
(Related article - why I skipped my lunch today? )
We need to urinate and defecate only when there is an urge for them. Purpose is to maintain body’s natural circardian rhythm. To attune body to the nature based on signals given by nature. So, the point is, a normal person do not need excess of water to drink. However, in certain diseases, there are exceptions.

When to drink water, in relation to meal?  Many Ayurveda doctors, many science websites including ‘Discovery’ have advised not to drink water in between a meal. But As per Ayurveda, you are supposed to drink water between the meals only. (Let us get to its reference a bit later.)

Drinking water before food –As per Ayurveda, it dilutes and weakens Agni – digestion strength. Because water is coolant. A principle directly opposite to digestion strength. Hence taking water before food is not ideal.

Drinking water after food –It affects both the quality of food and digestion strength. It gives a touch of coolant effect to whatever the food is eaten. Hence a person tends to become obese over a period of time, by this method. Hence it is not ideal.

Drinking water in between food –It helps to moisten the food, it helps to breakdown food particles into smaller pieces, it quenches thirst, hence it is ideal.

Reference: Ashtanga Hrudayam, Sutrasthana 5th chapter

Meaning –Water should not be consumed / water should be consumed in very little quantity, by those suffering from poor digestive function, tumors of the abdomen, anaemia, enlargement of the abdomen, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, diseases of the duodenum, dropsy.
Excepting for Sharad (autumn) and Nidagha (summer) even healthy persons should drink less quantity of water in rest other seasons 13-14
Jalapana phala- (effects of drinking water with respect to meals)Drinking water before meals – causes emaciation, weakness.
Drinking water after meals – causes obesity
Drinking water in between meals – healthy habit

If water is not to be had, then how to take medicines before meals?While taking medicines, water, in required quantity can be had, 20 minutes before meals.