You’ve heard about the importance of consuming water because you are mostly made up of water, but it’s always great to have a reminder to get us back on track to hydration and its benefits. Here is a thorough recap on why you should drink adequate amounts of water daily and its importance to the wellness of both human beings and the world.
So, it is 60%, that your body is made up of water. You brain alone is made up of 70% water, and your lungs 90%. Water is crucial to your body’s optimal functioning. First, you’ll notice that it cushions and lubricates joints for ease of use and minimal chance for injury. It protects and nourishes the brain, keeps the body temperature balanced, and aids you in waste removal through sweating, eliminating, and urination. Per day, 2.5 quartz is lost and needs replenishing through foods and liquids.
Human beings are said to have originated as single-cell organisms in the oceans millions of years ago, which would explain why we are made so much of water. If you lacked water consumption, you would probably last no longer than a week, they say. It’s more important to your health than food is, which you can go without for an entire month before it’s lethal. When your body is void of water it produces less blood, forcing your heart to pump harder to maintain its systems. As the state of dehydration becomes worse, you will become clumsy and tired without adequate oxygen to the brain and muscles. Your eyesight may become unpredictable, and in the final stages, you will feel nauseous and vomit. Complete dehydration will put you in a coma and you will die.
There is an instance you can also consume too much water. This condition is called Hyponatremia and it describes the occasion when too much water floods your cells and causes them to expand too much. Swollen brain cells can cause a wide range of symptoms, including headache, nausea, stomach pain, confusion, seizures, fatigue, come and death (just like dehydration). Who would do that though, you ask? Hyponatremia has killed a number of marathon runners.
Let’s address some myths about water now. Both the 8 glasses of 8 ounce water a day requirement and the only water, no caffeine or alcohol rule, are myths according to Dr. Heinz Valtin of Dartmouth College Medical School. His documented studies in the American Journal of Physiology showed no evidence of needing this requirement, and he did find evidence that beverages such as beer could contribute to your level of hydration.
Just Enough
Knowing your body is the best way to know how much water or fluid to intake per day and even then, the amount will differ based on your activity level and other factors. Try intaking fluids and food much slower and see if your body tells you when its had enough. Otherwise, British Broadcasting Corp. recommends you drink between 6-8 medium sized glasses of fluid daily, and this can include fruit juices. Looking at the color of your urine can also be an indication of a healthy or unhealthy level of hydration. Dark yellow urine is not good, but straw colored yellow urine or lighter is great.