About 60% of our bodies are made of water. But, still, you-re required to drink enough water every day. Why? Because water is responsible for several functions including, regulating your body temperature, preventing dehydration, facilitates the excretion of wastes from your body, and enables your brain function.
Of course, there are more health benefits of water to your life. But before that:
How much water should you take per day?
Water is an essential element of your life. In fact, almost every function of your body needs or uses water, from your muscles and joints movements to the brain and tissue cushioning. So, you’re either losing water while breathing, through urine, perspiration, or through general body movements.
Therefore, if you need your body to function well, you must ensure you replenish the amount of water loses or used. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men should take up to 3.7 litres (125 ounces). In comparison, women should consume about 2.7 litres (91 ounces). But of course, you can take more or less than the indicated amounts depending on different factors.
What determines the amount of water you take?
The amount of water and other fluids you take per day significantly depend on:
Exercise– when you participate in specific activities, you’ll have to drink a lot of water. For instance, during exercising, your body removes wastes through sweats. And to cover or replace the amount of water lost. So, it’s essential to take more water before, during, and after exercising or workout.
Whether or environment– humid or hot environment would make you sweat and in the process lose water. Also, there is a high chance of dehydration at high altitudes. So it would help if you consumed a lot of water during the hot conditions or summer.
Your overall health– studies have confirmed that your body loses a lot of fluid or water while you’re sick. For instance, vomiting and diarrhea increase your chances of water loss or if you have conditions like urinary tract stones and bladder infections, among others.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding– Suppose you are asking why water requirement increases during pregnancy or when lactating. In that case, here is what you need to know: during pregnancy, the water in your body is used to create of produce amniotic fluid.
Again, physical pregnancy changes or symptoms like vomiting and nausea increase the demand for more water. Also, you experience higher glomerular filtration and blood volume while you lose more water through respiration and sweating. All these demands that you stay hydrated, which calls for you to take more water or foods containing water.
On the other hand, breast milk contains 90% of water. Meaning while you breastfeed your little one, you lose a lot of water. So, you should take more water to replace the ones lost through the milk.
Importance of drinking enough water
Water helps;
Regulate body temperature
Your body loses a lot of water through urination and sweat, especially during hot weather or when you engage in physical activities. Such factors would cause your body temperature to rise. However, drinking more water ensures you manage your temperature while preventing dehydration.
Maximize your physical performances
Studies have confirmed that dehydration can reduce your level of exercise, lowering your physiological and sport capabilities like strength/power and endurance. And you’ll probably take less time exercising as compared to when you take more water.
Treats and prevents headaches
Headache is a common sign of dehydration. And since taking adequate water has been proved to reduce dehydration, it thus means that you chance of experiencing migraines and frequent headaches if you consume more water.
Aids digestion process
First, water helps in forming mucus and saliva, which help break down and digest different foods. Also, they help moisten food, thus reduce the friction for easy swallowing.
Experts have also confirmed that drinking more water helps get the food out of your body. In other words, it facilitates the excretion of waste in the form of feces and urine. Even better, water ensures a clean mouth and can also prevent and reduce tooth decay.
Promote weight loss
Drinking more water would increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate, thus increasing the number of calories in your body. This would, in turn, help you lose weight.
Also enough water:
- Helps prevent constipation
- Transport different nutrients throughout your body
- It helps fight off diseases like kidney stones, urinary tract infection, and hypertension
So, what can you do to take more water?
Tips to help you drink more water
Since your body is entirely dependent on water, you should:
- Have reusable water bottles so that you can refill them whenever you feel thirsty
- You can as well serve water during every meal
- Consider choosing water over other drinks like soda
- Serve or eat more foods: fruits and vegetables that contain more water like watermelon, cabbage, and lettuce, among others.
Conclusions
Water is a significant factor in your health. It would help if you had it for your physical performance, brain function and reduce dehydration, fever, and headaches. Also, you need water to facilitate your digestion, relieve constipation, and help flush out wastes, among other crucial benefits.
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