Here’s
to your health
Drink
up
Did
you know that every one of body systems depends on water?
Water is important to flushing out toxins, carrying nutrients
to cells, and proving the necessary moist environment for
ear, nose and throat tissues. Yeah, everybody knows drinking
enough water every day is important. But how much is “enough”?
The
fact is that, as with many other things, it’s
not one size fits all. Each person’s daily water requirements
depend on factors like health, activity level, and where
you live.
Daily
bodily functions cause us to lose water. Including breathing.
If we get physically ill with vomiting and diarrhea,
even more fluids are lost. If you’re activity level
is such that you sweat, you’ll need to drink extra
fluids to compensate for the loss of fluid through sweating.
If you’re in a hot or humid environment that makes
you sweat, you’ll need to replenish your fluids. And
during the winter, heated indoor air can cause you to lose
moisture through your skin.
There
are several ways to approximate the water needs for the
average healthy adult that lives in a climate that’s
not too hot and not too cold. Although there isn’t
scientific evidence to support it, the “8x8 rule” is
a common guideline many people use on how much fluid to drink
every day.
So does
this mean we have to have 8 glasses of water for it to
count? Nope. Milk and juice are mostly water and even
coffee, tea, soda, beer and wine can be used for hydrating.
But those beverages shouldn’t be the major portion
of your daily fluids. Water remains your best bet as your
beverage of choice. And don’t forget that many fruits
and vegetables contain a lot of water. Some as much as 90
to 100 percent water by weight.
But
don’t count on the sensation of thirst to tell
you when to drink. Sometimes by the time you recognize you’re
thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated. Especially
as you get older and your body is less able to sense dehydration.
You
can tell when you’re keeping yourself hydrated:
If you rarely get thirsty and if you produce a bit more than
6 cups of slightly yellow (or even clear) urine every day,
you’re probably getting enough fluids.
[Source:
National Institute of Health]
To
learn more about hydration, dehydration and hyponatremia
(consuming too much water), go to Links.
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