The importance of drinking water

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      It is a well-known fact that water is important to keep our bodies functioning, after all, water makes up 50-75% of the human body. Water is the foundation of blood, urine, and other juices. It can also be found in muscles, fat, and bones, and other important parts of the body. There is a reason why the body can last for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. However, even after knowing the significance of water, most people don’t drink enough water to keep your body hydrated, so it is important to review the true impact water has on our body.

 

Water helps your body

      Water has a number of indispensable functions that keep the body going. It has unique properties that make it one of the basic needs of life. Some of the benefits of water are: 

 

    • Water acts as a building material to the body, 
    • Water regulates the body’s internal body temperature through sweating and respiration
    • Water metabolizes proteins and carbohydrates that the body uses as food, and transports it through the bloodstream.
    • water transports waste material out through urination
    • `Water forms saliva
    • Water lubricates joints
    • Water helps with digestion
    • Water helps preventing constipation
    • Water helps normalize blood pressure
    • Water helps stabilize the heartbeat
    • Water helps the body protect organs and tissues
    • Water helps maintain the balance of sodium in the body
    • Water carries the oxygen, as well as nutrients, to the cells
    • Water dissolves minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to the body
    • Because water makes you feel full longer without any additional calories, it has a great contribution to weight loss. 

 

 

Tips to Drink More Water 

      Trying to consume the right amount of water every day can be challenging. Sometimes, people simply forget to drink water or they don’t think of it as an important thing to do throughout the day. In order to overcome this challenge, adding and changing some daily habits is key. Some things to keep in mind are:

 

    • Gradually drink water or other fluids throughout the day;
    • Keep a water bottle nearby or carry it during the day and refill it when necessary.
    • Drink water or other healthy drinks at each meal
    • Drink water or other healthy drinks when eating out, or at social occasions
    • Adding a slice of lemon, orange, a few mint leaves, or any other similar ingredient improves the taste and helps with drinking more water than usual.
    • Eat foods that are rich in water such as salads or fruits

 

 

      Water is always the best option of fluid to drink; however, sometimes it is good to drink fluids more rich in flavor. When choosing what to drink, one good advice is to opt for water over sugary drinks, as they can lead to weight gain and inflammation, increasing the risk for developing diseases such as diabetes. Also, even though these help with hydration avoid drinking too much caffeine and alcohol. The bad use of caffeine can cause many bad effects such as a rapid increase of heart rate or keep you from sleeping, as well as the overconsumption of alcohol can lead to terrible Long-Term Health Risks. 



How much water should you drink a day? 

      Because the human body cannot store water, it needs to replenish its water supply every day to make up for losses from respiration, sweat, urine, and feces in order to have the body functioning properly and improve its overall health. 

 

      The amount of water a person needs varies depending on age, sex, metabolism, body size, diet, the weather, and the amount of exercise the person does. With that in mind, even healthy individuals will have different water needs, so the best way to find out the accurate amount of water for a specific individual is to check with their doctor. It is important to know that around 20% of the daily water intake should come from food, and the rest from other drinks. 

 

      Even though the amount of water for a person depends on those factors, there are some general recommendations for both men and women. It is advised that an adult male needs about 3 liters of water per day or 15.5 cups, and an adult female needs about 2.7 liters, or 11.5 cups from both drinks and food sources. Usually, the rule of drinking 8 cups per day is generally good for healthy individuals.



DEHYDRATION/ OVERHYDRATION

      By now, it is clear that drinking the right amount of water daily is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. Drinking the right amount of water can prevent both overhydration and dehydration.

 

      Dehydration is caused by the loss of too much fluid on the body.  When a person is losing more fluids than what they are taking in, the body does not have fluids enough to function properly. Some effects of dehydration are weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, unclear thinking, which results in mood change, as well as causing the body to overheat, leading to constipation and kidney stones.

 

      Overhydration is also a problem that can even be life-threatening. When someone drinks levels of water that is way above the recommended amount, the kidneys can’t eliminate the excess water, in addition to sodium content of the blood becoming diluted, which is called hyponatremia.








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