Health Blog

Why is Water so important ?

Lindsey McEnroe educates us on the importance of Water

1.What is the second most life giving substance after air ?

2.What is the main ingredient in your body accounting for around 70 percent of your make up?

3. What is the key ingredient at which run every aspect of your body's mechanisms from keeping your heart beating to allowing your kidneys to filter and your lungs to exchange gases ?

THE ANSWER IS WATER !

Water is one of the most forgotten nutrients because it is not listed on most lists of required nutrients and it contains no calories. The body needs water to function. Many parts of the body need water to function. Many parts of the body contain water including the brain, blood and lean muscle. Water in the body serves to regulate body temperature, removes wastes carry nutrients and oxygen to cells and cushions the joints.

Water makes up between 65 and 75 percent of the body and its essential for all of its functions. The loss of water through perspiration is the bodies way of cooling off however, water lost through sweating increases the need for water.

Ideally we need to drink two litres of water a day. It normal for people to drink significant amounts of liquids but frequently these tend to be dehydrating drinks also contribute chemical toxins which the body needs to get rid of coffee, cola and tea are the worst culprits.

Water plays a crucial role in digesting your food and absorbing nutrients . I f you don't drink enough water your skin will start to look dry and papery and feel tight. Every time you exhale, you are releasing metabolic waste that makes up about two glasses a day. Your kidneys and intestines eliminate another six or so glasses every 24 hours and about another two glasses are released through the pores in your skin. On a hot day this can triple so don't wait until you are thirsty to drink because thirst is a sign you are already dehydrated.

It can be difficult to convince long -term non water drinks to create the new habit of drinking more water. The most common causes are:

• I don't like the taste of it. If this is the case add some fruit juice to alter the flavour.

• I always forget. Set an alarm watch to remind you.

• I prefer hot drinks. Make hot water and lemon with a little honey.

• It makes me go to the bathroom too much at night. So limit your water intake after 6pm

• I would find it hard to drink that much. Measure how much tea and coffee you drink. You will probably find that it comes to about one or two litres.

In some people another possible cause of bloating is carbonated drinks. The bubbles are dispersed readily which can lead to discomfort. Many people feel that if they drink water with a meal it will dilute their digestive juices and lead to reduced digestive capability. However fluids taken with a meal actually stimulate optimal stomach acidity and trigger enzymes . Sipping water with a meal should help the digestive process. If you feel strongly that water disrupts your digestive then try drinking a glass or two at room temperature half an hour before a meal. 

HOW MUCH SHOULD I DRINK ?

This depends on your age, what you eat, your activity level, the weather, whether your a meal or female and the medications you take.

Drink between six and eight glasses of water a day, as part of a healthy diet and it is important to limit the amount of caffeine, soda and alcohol you drink as all these cause the body to loose water. Men usually need to drink more water than women because they have more lean muscle.

A quick way to check that you are getting enough water is to look at the colour of your urine. The urine should should be a pale yellow colour. If your urine is dark yellow and has strong odour or if you go to the toilet less than four times a day then you probably need to drink my water.

Some studies have indicated that drinking plenty of water is beneficial to the immune system and good for the skin., alleviates constipation and can also reduce the risk of kidney disease. To keep your body full of energy and performing at its best, good hydration is essential.

Making sure you are properly hydrated as an important part of general well being and both feeling and looking good.

So Drink up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!