DR. WALLACE: My older sister likes to "lead" our family with all kinds of ideas, trends, rumors and suggestions that she picks up from her friends or even from TikTok videos. I find this tiresome, but for some reason she constantly doles out advice to our family as if every word she says is solid gold, and we would be unwise not to follow her suggestions.

I'll spare you from hearing her more outlandish ideas, but instead, I'll focus on the debate she had with my father the other night at our dinner table.

My sister claimed we should all carry around a notebook or put notes into our cellphones each day to track exactly how many 12-ounce glasses of water we drink each day. She claims that we all need a bare minimum of eight glasses and that we are foolish and "playing Russian roulette" with our health if we don't be sure to drink exactly eight glasses of water every single day.

My father told her that we take in water the entire day via food and liquids or all kinds and that there is no reason to compulsively track our water intake at all. Who's right on this one? — Her Younger Sister, via email

HER YOUNGER SISTER: I agree with your father here, as there is actually no need to count glasses of water. Over the years I've seen many research studies showing that people will seek out and drink water when they're thirsty.

During each day we get enough water in our systems to stay healthy and hydrated. We regularly consume foods with a high water content, such as fruit and vegetables. We also drink juices, tea, and coffee and many of us like soups and other liquid-based foods as well. All of these help us to add water to our bodies indirectly.

An individual at times may need to drink more water when urine is a dark yellow color, for example. This can result from sweating when being very active, or spending time in a hot climate, vehicle or building, for example.

MY MOTHER CHEWS VITAMINS LIKE M&M'S!

DR. WALLACE: My siblings and I like to eat healthy meals, but my mother insists upon chewing up endless vitamins to make up for her deficiencies in her diet and other areas of her life.

I guess this is better than nothing, but our whole family would like to see mom eating better and not just relying on vitamins to "balance her out" as she puts it. Any ideas? — Her Concerned Daughter, via email

HER CONCERNED DAUGHTER: Your letter is timed well since today kicks off National Nutrition Week. NNW is observed from September first every year to educate the population about the significance of nutrition.

Adequate nutrition is the cornerstone that most determines the overall well-being of a person, as it supports individuals in maintaining their health status and baseline maintenance.

Your mother likely heard somewhere that a multivitamin can make up for nutrients that aren't in her diet. However, not all researchers agree on that point.

The best way to get nutrients is still to eat a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and healthy oils. I suggest that you and your mother take advantage of this special week. Look online in your local area for events, food tastings and special opportunities to try new and nutritious foods that you both might not have tried before.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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