 Water:Its Importance And Body Requirements
Water:Its Importance and Benefits for Health Human body mass is about 55-75% water.The very composition of our body is like that blood is 83% water, muscles are 75% water, brain is 74% water and bone is 22% water Importance of Water in the Body Every cell and tissue in the body depends on water for oxygen and nutrients. Water also helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them more accessible to various parts of the body. Its other functions in the body include: A) Regulating and maintaining body temperature through sweating. B) Moistening tissues such as those of the eyes, ears, nose and throat. C) Lowering the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out toxins and other waste products. D) Protecting body organs and tissues. E) Serving as a medium for various biochemical reactions that occur in the body F) Lubricating joints , Helping to prevent constipation Modes of loosing Water And Dehydration: We daily loose water noticeable and unnoticeable.We loose water in form of sweat , bowels activity , urine and also while we are breathing… Some interesting facts : (which most of us don't know) A)Our lungs expel between two and four cups of water each day through normal breathing B) If our feet sweat, there goes another cup of water. C) If anyone make half a dozen trips to the bathroom during the day, that's six cups of water D)As we perspire, we expel about two cups of water (which doesn't include exercise-induced perspiration). Dehydration: Though when a person looses about 10% of body weight is considered dehydrated but even 1-2% of it can make us dull , poor concentration ,fatigued and dizzy. Lack of water leads to 1) accumulation of toxins(more concentrated) 2) blood flow rate decreases and makes blood thick 3) energy level is decreased 4) cell metabolism is decreased 5) kidney stones and urinary infections 6) mental slowing and lethargy 7) muscle aches and pains 8) dry mouth How much Water We need Daily And the Factors That Influence Water Intake: Well to exactly how much water is to be taken by an individual is not that easy.there are few aspects that are to be considered A) According To What We Loose: Urine makes around 1.5litre and and an other litre is lost by sweat , breathing and bowel activity… Food gives us about 20% of our fluid requirement so we need atleast 2litre of water daily to replenish our loses..(that's 8 cups) B) Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total… But no scientific data supports this. C) Medical Recommendations: The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. Factors Influencing Daily Intake: Exercise: For heavy or long duration exercise atleast 2-4cups of water extra for every hour and short bouts of fluid intake inbetween is required… For short duration and mild exercise 2cups of water added to normal intake Adding Salt(drink saline water) is mandatory as in sweat you loose salt a lot. Enviornment Well we all know that in hot , humid and damp weather we sweat and need more water but its that we also need more water when in cold weather we are wearing heavy clothes for insulation and also our breathing rate fastens. So basically water is a necessity all around the year. Pregnant or breast-feeding: Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need additional water to stay hydrated and to replenish the fluids lost, especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (nearly 10 cups) of fluids a day and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day. Illness: Fever , vomiting , diarrhea , on going infection all these situations demand a further more water intake than usual.Oral Rehydration Supplements are better in these situations. Sources OF Water Other Than Tap Water: Its not necessary that you are stuck up with the tap water to fulfill your needs though plain water is the most beautiful gift of Nature; 1) Fruits and Vegetables: Oranges are 85% water , Cucumber is 97% water 2 )Food : daily food constitutes 20% of our requirement 3) milk: though vwith variation 85% of it is water 4) juices and other beverages Drinking Water Helps in Weight Loss 1) It helps the stomach feel fuller longer and minimizes strong food cravings. Water should be drunk before a main meal. 2) A soup – a mixture of water and vegetables – provides greater satiety than vegetables alone with a glass of water. 3) The weight loss benefits of water are also due to the fact that foods mixed with water appear larger. This gives the impression that these foods will be more filling. 4) Warm lemon water serves as the perfect good morning drink, as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating the waste products from the body easier. Water And Diabetic Patients: Diabetics should keep themselves well hydrated , especially when they are quite at a borderline sugar control as their glucose level is hogh and if fluid in body is less will lead to a more concentrated state of the body that is more dangerous and even more accumulation of acids in body 1)Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal. 2)Take water breaks instead of coffee or tea breaks. 3)Substitute sparkling water for soft drinks at social gatherings In all , we are mostly ignorant about the importance of water and our body requirements and thirst itself is not a good indicator of our body water requirement and we may not realize that important reserve of body fluids have been lost for a while so its better to take precautionary measures before hand.
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waterr and its importance
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