July 04, 2020

The Drink: Benefits And Necessities Of Water

Water is among the most essential elements of the body. It is also regarded as a nutrient. A human can go without food for about three weeks but would typically only last three to four days without water. About 71% of the Earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5% of all Earth's water. Water also exists in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in icecaps and glaciers, in the ground as soil moisture and in aquifers, and even in you and your dog. Water is never sitting still. Water can be divided into 2 categories.

Marine water: This is salty enough to be regarded as undrinkable. Thus, of no use to humans.
Fresh Water: It contains very less amount of salts or none at all. It is drinkable.

The percentage of water is as follows,

97% of the total water on Earth is marine water. It is found in oceans, seas etc.
Only 3% is fresh water of which 2.5% is in the form of ice caps, glaciers, lakes, in organisms' bodies etc. and the rest 0.5% is used in all human activities regarding nutrition like drinking, agriculture, swimming pools, rivers etc.

Human body, among all other living creatures, is mainly made up of water. Of the total weight of your body, 60% is water. That is if you weigh 70 kg, 42 kg is water. (Not fat huh?)

Our blood is 90% water. The brain and the heart are composed of 73% water. The lungs are about 83% water and the skin is 64% water. Muscles and kidneys are 79% water and even the strongest parts of your body i.e. bones are 31% watery in nature.

(Image credits: Giphy)

Functions:

Your body is run by water. Water has innumerable benefits and functions. Some of the functions are listed below.

Water functions in digestion of food in the form of saliva.
Keeps mucosal membranes intact and moist.
Allows body's cells to grow, reproduce and survive.
Excretion of waste material from body occurs in the form of urine which is water.
Acts as grease in joints and lubricates them.
Needed by brains to produce hormones and neurotransmitter for proper functioning of body and proper nerve impulse transmission.
Regulates body temperature through homeostasis. Homeostasis is a process of maintaining body conditions within normal limits. Sweating and respiration include water as a homeostatic element.
Water forms a thick fluid that surrounds your brains and spinal cord. This fluid, called Cerebrospinal Fluid, absorbs sudden shocks and jerks to protect the brains and spinal cord from injuries.
Water is a main portion of blood that gives the blood ability to flow. Blood carries oxygen and other nutrients to parts of body and hence, water helps in circulation of oxygen.
Water is present in tears. Eyelids use this water for lubricating eyes to protect them from drying out and damages. Now you know why your eyes blink.

Health is a blessing. A good health is a sign of prosperity and calmness of mind. Without water, health is nothing. Water is an essential part of lives of athletes. According to Ronnie Coleman, the man who became Mr. Olympia 8 times consecutively, he drank 2-3 gallons of water daily. That is above 11 litres of water per day. For average humans, about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of water for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of water a day for women are required. The difference is HUGE.

(Image credits: Giphy)

Facts:

(Image credits: Giphy)

Here are some facts about water:

Babies and children have a higher percentage of water than adults. When babies are born, they are about 78 percent water, but this falls to 65 percent by the age of 1 year.
Fatty tissue has less water than lean tissue.
Men have more water than women, as a percentage.

Dehydration:

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Dehydration is the shortage of water in body. It is a serious issue and should be compensated by drinking water regularly. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:

dizziness or lightheaded feeling
nausea or vomiting
muscle cramps
dry mouth
lack of sweating
hard, fast heartbeat.

Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness. You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

Benefits:

Some of the benefits have already been mentioned above. More are as follow.

Water helps you improve your skin and thus, contributes in your beauty.
The digestive system improves with water.
Water helps you loose weight.
Water helps you retain stamina and prevents fatigue and dizziness.
The minerals and nutrients are made accessible to the body.
It prevents kidney damage and kidney stone formation.

Fresh fruits and vegetables and all non-alcoholic fluids contain water and thus contribute to your health.
Times when it is most important to drink plenty of water include:

when you have a fever
when the weather is hot
if you have diarrhea and vomiting
when you sweat a lot, for example, due to physical activity

Hey buddy! Drink water.

(Image credits: Giphy)

The intake of water should be on regular basis. All those foods and fruits where water is the abundant constituent are healthy. When we feel thirsty, it is an indication from brain that the body is feeling shortage of water and hence, water should be drunk. For this reason, we should drink water before we get thirsty. Make it a routine to drink a glass of water after every 30-40 minutes.

Mention these benefits to others as well so that they can also improve their health. We hope the information was helpful. If you want to know a really simple and fun exercise to get the desired athletic body you have in your mind, you have come to the right place. See The Rope- Benefits And Importance Of Skipping and start today.

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