We all know that two-thirds of an adult’s weight is water but did you know that about 95% of the human brain is composed of water? In fact, all body organs, tissues, and cells cannot function without water. Basic activities such as breathing, sweating, and digestion can cause the body to lose water and that is why doctors recommend drinking fluids and eating diets with a high water content. Factors such as illness, level of physical activity and climate will determine the amount of water you need to drink.
Other than quenching your thirst, here are some of the benefits of drinking water:
Keeps the body hydrated
Dehydration occurs when the human body loses fluids by engaging in intense physical activities, sweating or when you contract a disease that has symptoms such as fever, diarrhea or vomiting. In order to maintain the body’s natural hydration levels, your doctor will advise you to drink a lot of water when you have any of the above symptoms. Research also indicates that health conditions such as urinary tract stones, acne, and bladder infections can be treated by increasing the intake of fluids.
Transportation of nutrients
Blood is predominantly composed of water which is responsible for the transportation of oxygen and nutrients in the human body. Nutrients contained in food are broken down in the digestive system and then dissolved in water so that they can pass through the capillaries that reach all organs and cells. In addition to the transportation of nutrients, water plays a huge role in the digestion of soluble fiber. The nutrients in the circulatory system are absorbed by diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
Aids in excretion
Water plays a big role in the excretion processes such as defecation, urination, and perspiration. The kidneys, intestines, and liver need adequate water in order to flush out toxins from the body. Although doctors argue that constipation cannot be cured by increasing fluid intake, it is proven that it can be prevented by drinking water. This is because water helps to transport food in the intestinal tract and lubricates the stool. When you are dehydrated, toxins accumulate in the body and this can lead to illness.
Temperature regulation
Almost 92% of the blood is composed of water. When the climate is hot, blood is transported close to the skin surface so that it can be cooled and thus the body gets cooled by evaporation. When the climate is cold the temperature is regulated by shifting the blood to the interior body surface and thus heat in the body is not lost to the environment. Another way that water regulates body temperature, is by regulating osmotic balance.
It’s important to always make sure that you strike a balance between the quantity and the quality of your drinking water. In order to ensure proper health standards, the drinking water must be decontaminated before drinking. Remember, it is not advisable to substitute water with soft drinks because the body uses a lot of water to process sugar in the soft drinks.