Health Benefits of Water
Water is your body's primary substance segment and makes up around 60 percent of your body weight. Your body relies upon water to endure.
Each cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water for proper functioning. For instance, on water:
- Keeps your temperature normal
- Lubricates the joints and cushions
- Protects fragile tissues
- Get rid of waste by urinating, suctioning and intestines
Lack of water intake can lead to dehydration, a disorder that occurs when there is not enough water in your body to conduct normal functions. Even minor dehydration will drain your energy and tire you.
How much water do you need?
You lose water every day through breath, suddenness, urine, and bowel movements. In order for your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by drinking water containing beverages and foods.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that an acceptable daily intake of fluids is:
- Around 15.5 cups (3.7 litres) of fluids a day for men
- Around 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
These recommendations include water drinks, other liquids, and food. Approximately 20 percent of daily intake of fluids usually comes from food and the rest from beverages.
Factors that influence water needs
You may need to change your total intake of liquids based on several factors:
- Exercise: If you're doing some exercise that will make you sweat, you need to drink extra water to cover the lack of moisture.Drinking water is necessary before,during, and after a workout. When exercise is vigorous and lasts more than an hour, a sports drink may replace minerals that are lost by sweat in your blood (electrolytes).
- Environment: Hot or humid weather will cause you to sweat and needs extra fluid intake. Dehydration may also occur at high altitudes.
- Overall Health:If you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, the body loses fluids. Drink more water or obey a suggestion from a doctor to drink oral solutions for rehydration.
Certain conditions that can require increased fluid intake include infections in the bladder and stones in the urinary tract.
Advantage of water intake
- It lubricates the joints: Cartilage, embedded in joints and spinal discs, contains around 80 percent water. Long-term dehydration can decrease the shock absorbing ability of the joints, leading to joint pain.
- It forms saliva and mucus: Saliva helps digest our food and maintains moist mouth, nose and eyes. Saliva helps digest our food and maintains moist mouth, nose and eyes. This effectively prevents friction and injury. Drinking water keeps your mouth clean too. It can also reduce tooth decay, consumed instead of sweetened beverages.
- It delivers oxygen throughout the body: Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood delivers oxygen to various parts of the body.
- It boosts skin health and beauty The skin may become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkle with dehydration.
- It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues Dehydration can affect the function and structure of the brain. It also engages in hormone and neurotransmitter development. Prolonged dehydration can cause thought and reasoning problems.
- It regulates body temperature As the body heats up, water that is contained in the middle layers of the skin comes to the surface of the skin as sweat. Getting plenty of water in the body will reduce physical strain if there is heat stress during exercise. There is still a need for further research into these results.
- The digestive system depends on it: To act properly the bowel requires water. Dehydration can result in digestive problems, constipation and an overly acidic stomach. It raises the risk of heartburn and ulcers of the stomach.
- It flushes body waste Water is necessary in the sweating and urine and fece removal processes.
- It helps maintain blood pressure A shortage of water may cause blood to grow thicker and raise blood pressure.