Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.
Don’t worry, I am not being poetic. It must be obvious by now that, today’s topic is water. And I will specifically be talking about water as an important Macronutrient.
This is 3rd blog in my Nutrient series. Make sure you read parts 1 and 2.
Our body consists of 60-70% water & nearly all our major organs depend on it.
Here are a few things that water do inside our body:
- It cushions and lubricates the joints
- It nourishes and protects the brain
- It protects tissues and other organs
- It helps dissolve the nutrients (The ones we are discussing in these blogs).
- It then carries nutrients & oxygen to our cells
- It Nourishes the skin
- Help in waste removal, by ensuring proper function of kidneys and urinary bladder.
There are more functions of water in our body, but I guess you got the basic picture of why it’s important. After writing all these points, I want to take a water break, I’ll be back.
The major question arises, why do we need water when we already have 60-70 % water inside our bodies all the time?
Well, you also lose water through precipitation, urination, or through puking. But, then you need to regain that lost water. Consider it like this, your vehicle can still run in reserve mode, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need fuel. You may need fuel sooner or later.
Just like a vehicle, our body can still work for some time if we skip drinking water, but that can cause some serious trouble if we ignore it for too long.
Let me tell you what exactly will happen:
When the water level drops inside the body, then vital organs start getting filled with blood, causing cells to shrink. This could also lead to the contraction of the brain & blood vessels. Blood pressure also changes, as the concentration of salt and minerals increases.
Also, kidney failure will happen among all this to make the matter worse. Now, just imagine what will happen if your body isn’t able to throw out toxins?
I have a separate blog about Dehydration: What-Why-How?, Check. it out to know what will happen when you dehydrate.
When our body experiences low levels of water, it sends signals to our brain that we need water. Hence, that’s when we get the urge to drink the water. I have already mentioned that without water salt concentration increases. But when we drink water, levels of salt drop, and when it reaches a satisfactory level, our brain stops the urge to drink any more water.
How much water do we need per day?
Major doubt people have about how much water they need per day.
This image will help you understand a little better.
This is just a standard value, but the actual need for water depends on various factors like height, weight, age, gender, climate, amount of physical activity, and more.
FGW
One way to find out how much water you need is
Take your body weight in pounds and divide it by 2, the result will be the amount of water you need in ounces. You can easily convert ounces into liters with the help of the converter.
For example, if your weight is 160 pounds (lbs), then you divide it by 2, and you get 80. That means you need 80 ounces or 2.36 liters daily.
According to the National Academics of Science, Engineering & Medicine. Women need at least 2.7 liters of water per day and Men need 3.7 liters per day.
When you drink adequate water, your body will experience some good changes like:
1: You will experience an increase in energy and productivity. Dehydration can cause fatigue & can reduce the functioning of the brain.
2: Improve physical activity. Staying hydrated can boost your performance.
3: Water is also a good Mood booster. If you ever feel negative, water can make you feel good (However I don’t want you to feel negative, I want you to shine).
Make sure you hydrate properly in the summer or after any intense physical activity.
Sometimes water is not sufficient and we need something more. I will discuss what that is in my blog about Minerals.
FGW
That’s it for this blog. I hope I made you realize how and why water is important.
If you find any difficulty in remembering to drink the water, use a sticky note and stick it on someone’s face. You can also associate drinking water with something.
Share this blog with someone who needs a reminder about drinking water at the right time.
But, before that, drop comments below,
and after that, you smile.
I’m thirsty!!
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