The importance of water in the body and how it keeps you alive
Did you know that your entire body is made up of about 60 percent water?
Did you know that your entire body is made up of about 60 percent water?
Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues; to help keep your temperature stable and maintain your other body functions. Also, your body steadily loses its water as you sweat, breathe, and digest food.
That's why you need to constantly replenish the water by drinking water and eating foods that have water. The amount of water you need depends on a number of things; such as the climate you live in, how physically active you are, and whether you're experiencing an illness or have any other health problems. So what's the importance of water in the body again? Some of them are outlined below:
The Importance Of Water In The Body: What Does Water Do?
The importance of water in the body and how it keeps you alive Water Protects Your Tissues, Spinal Cord, and Joints
Apart from quenching your thirst and regulating your body temperature, water also keeps your body tissues moist. You know how it feels when your eyes, nose, or mouth get dry? Keeping your body hydrated helps it retain optimum levels of moisture in these sensitive areas; as well as in the blood, bones, and the brain. Water also protects the spinal cord. And it acts as a lubricant and cushion for your joints. This is a very huge importance of water in the body.
Water Helps Your Body Remove Waste
When you take in enough water, your body is able to excrete waste through perspiration, urination and defecation. Your kidneys and liver use water to wash out waste, and so do your intestines. Water can also keep you from getting constipated by softening your stools and helping move the food you've eaten through your intestinal tract. But there's no proof that drinking lots of water will cure constipation.
Importance of Water In The Body: It Aids in Digestion
The digestive process begins with saliva, which has its base in water. The whole digestive process needs the enzymes found in saliva tohelp break down food and dissolve nutrients. Proper digestion makes minerals and nutrients more accessible to the body. You will also need water to help you digest soluble fibre. With the help of water, this fibre dissolves easily and benefits your bowel health; by making well-formed, soft stools that are easy to pass. This is another very major importance of water in the body.
Water Prevents Dehydration
The importance of water in the body and how it keeps you alive Your body loses fluids when you engage in vigorous exercise, sweat in high heat, or come down with a fever or contract an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea. If you're losing fluids for any of these reasons, it's important to increase your fluid intake so that you can restore your body's natural hydration levels. Your doctor may also recommend that you drink more fluids to help treat other health conditions, like bladder infections and urinary tract stones. If you're pregnant or nursing, you may want to consult with your physician about your fluid intake because your body will be using more fluids than usual, especially if you're breastfeeding.
It Maximizes Physical Performance
Drinking plenty of water during physical activity is essential. Athletes often sweat up to 6 to 10 of their body weight during physical activity. Hydration also affects your strength, power, and endurance. You may be more susceptible to the effects of dehydration if you’re participating in endurance training; or high-intensity sports such as basketball.
Negative effects of exercise in the heat without enough water can include serious medical conditions, like decreased blood pressure and hyperthermia. Extreme dehydration can cause seizures and even death.
Importance of Water In The Body: It helps you lose weight
Studies have linked body fat and weight loss with drinking water in both overweight girls and women. Drinking more water while dieting and exercising may just help you lose extra pounds.
It improves blood oxygen circulation
Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health.
It helps fight off illness
The importance of water in the body and how it keeps you alive Drinking enough water can help prevent certain medical conditions. These include:
- constipation
- kidney stones
- exercise-induced asthma
- urinary tract infection
- hypertension
Water also helps you absorb important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food, which will increase your chances of staying healthy.
It helps boost energy
Drinking water may activate your metabolism. A boost in metabolism has been associated with a positive impact on energy level.
One study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water boosted the metabolic rate by 30 percent in both men and women. These effects appeared to last over an hour.
NIH UK Healthline
Also read: Is it safe to drink hot water during pregnancy?
This article was first published on AfricaParent.com
Source:
The importance of water in the body and how it keeps you alive- gist culled from
pulseng
October 21, 2013, 11:20:08 PM