Water is necessary for all essential body functions, such as digestion, circulation, transporting nutrients and elimination of waste. Water helps regulate your body temperature and keeps every cell in your body healthy. Without a constant supply of water and water-containing fluids, you would dehydrate, your organs would cease to function and the results would be fatal.
Function
While you could live for up to a month without food, you probably could not survive more than a week without water. Water keeps every cell in your body alive and transports nutrients and other essential substances through your bloodstream to keep your organs and systems working properly. The fluids that lubricate and protect your organs and joints are mostly made up of water. Water is necessary for the metabolism of food and every other chemical reaction that occurs in your body.
Requirements
Drink at least 8 cups of water every day, a figure that is based on the average person's approximate output of fluids every day due to normal body processes such as sweating, exhalation and elimination. You drink water to balance the amount of fluids you take in with amount of fluids you put out. There is no absolute recommendation for water, however, and you may need more or less than 8 cups each day, depending on such factors as your age, activity level, body size, health status and diet and the climate where you live and work.
Deficiency
If you are drinking enough water, your urine looks clear or with a tinge of yellow; if not, your urine will be dark yellow. The result of insufficient fluids is dehydration. Some of the first signs of dehydration are thirst, fatigue, light-headedness, dark urine and dizzy spells. Dehydration is a medical emergency, so don't let it get to this point. Instead, replenish your fluids throughout the day.
Sources
The most obvious source of drinking water is your kitchen faucet or the bottled water you buy. Every beverage you drink contains some water, and some foods also provide significant amounts of water. Soups, salads, yogurt and fruits, such as watermelon, oranges and grapes are all good sources of water. Even meat, poultry and fish contain water. To stay well-hydrated, however, most of your daily fluid supply should come from plain water.
Member Comments