You hear water is important for our body and we drink it naturally when we are thirsty or otherwise. Then why is it so big a deal?
Let’s learn why is water important to our body?
Water is uniquely designed and empowered to create, support and control the life and it’s processes. It is a major occupant of human body (~60-70%). Without water cells of the body shrink and die eventually ending our life.
1. Water Aids Digestion and Fights off Constipation
Water converts foods to components in the presence of enzymes needed for digestion and survival. Water forms saliva containing digestive enzyme that converts foods to components in the presence of enzymes needed for digestion and survival.
2. It Keeps the Mucosal Membranes Wet
Normal mucous is 97% water. Think of dry eyes and a dry vagina when one doesn’t have wet mucous.
3. It Controls Body Temperature Without Sudden Rise
- Water controls body temperature. It has a large heat capacity. It means water can absorb a lot of heat without raising the temperature. This chemical property manages multiple important thermal events inside the body protecting vital organs.
- In a high outside temperature situation, blood which is largely water moves to the skin surface and the water in it expels the heat as sweat. This buffered action of water help control the body temperature without sudden rise.
- It removes excess heat away from body as water vapor from lungs.
- When body needs to conserve heat blood flows to vital organs.
4. It Carries Oxygen and Nutrients
Water participates in all metabolic processes of the body. It helps transport nutrients and oxygen for the cells to grow, reproduce and survive. Water is life.
5. It Produce Energy
Water helps oxygen to be delivered to the entire body where it is used to burn the sugars to produce energy.
6. Protector of Brain and Spinal cord
Water Acts as the shock absorber for brain and spinal cord.
7. It Helps the Synthesis of Hormones and Neurotransmitters
Brain needs water to synthesize hormones and neurotransmitters. Hormones direct various biological process of the body.
8. It Balances Electrolyte
Water keeps the electrolyte balance. Electrolyte keeps you hydrated.
9. It Removes Toxins
Water helps remove toxins via urination, stool and perspiration.
10. Helps the Joint Mobility
It keeps the joints hydrated and maintains the flexibility of joints. As you grow older, the mobility of joint is reduced.
11. Reduction of Cancer Incidence
In a research study, the incidence of cancer of the urinary bladder was found to be reduced significantly by a high fluid intake. The top 20% of subjects who participated in the study drank 2,531 ml per day or more, while the bottom 20% drank 1,290 ml or less.
Ref: Michaud DS, Spiegelman D, Clinton SK, Rimm EB, Curhan GC, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL.Fluid intake and the risk of bladder cancer in men. N Engl J Med 340199913901397 (Commentaries. N Engl J Med 340: 1424–1426, 1999 and 341: 847–848, 1999.)
12. Cardiac Help
Blood volume, blood pressure, and heart rate are closely linked. Blood volume is normally tightly regulated by matching water intake and water output. Decreases in blood volume can occur, through blood loss (or blood donation), or loss of body water through sweat, as seen with exercise. Decreased blood volume causes lowering of blood pressure. A fall in blood pressure in some cases, can lead to syncope.
Drink adequate amount of water to help your heart.
13. Does Water Help Reduce Migraine or Headache?
Scientific study does not support water intake totally reduce tension headache or migraine. But drinking 1.5 Liter water/ per day on the top of what the participant in the study already consumed somewhat reduced the duration and intensity of headache.
It is unknown, higher volume of water intake is able to reduce or prevent headache in a broader population.
14. Clears Skin
The skin contains approximately 30% water, which contributes to plumpness, elasticity, and resiliency. Skin dryness is usually associated with exposure to dry air, prolonged contact with hot water and scrubbing with soap (both strip oils from the skin), medical conditions and medications.
In a research study people drinking less than 3.2 L of water were found to have adequate skin hydration. Additional water intake reflected decreased roughness and dryness of the skin. The skin is important in maintaining body water levels and preventing water loss into the environment and serves as “waterproofing” for the body.
15. Reduced Stone Reappearance in the Bladder and Urinary Tract
There is strong evidence of favorable association between increased fluid intake and reduced stone reappearance in the bladder and urinary tract.
16. Drinking Sufficient Water Helps Exercise Related Asthma.
Lower fluid ingestion is connected to exercise related asthma.
17. Removes Confusion and Fatigue
Research supports (Ref.) increasing water intake of low consumers (<1.2 L/day) decreased confusion and fatigue. Decreasing water intake of high consumers (>2L/day) decreased calmness, contentedness, positive emotions and vigor.
Ref: ross N., Demazieres A., Girard N., Barnouin R., Metzger D., Klein A., Perrier E., Guelinckx I. Effects of changes in water intake on mood of high and low drinkers. PLoS ONE. 2014;9:e94754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094754. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
18. Water Regulates Body Temperature
Water helps body to not go suddenly to a high temperature. It is fairly a good heat absorber and can store heat during exercise and controls loss of water through perspiration.
Daily water losses can be substantial and persons need to emphasize drinking during exercise as well as at mealtime. The increased heat storage is mediated by reduced sweating rate (evaporative heat loss) and reduced skin blood flow (dry heat loss) for a given core temperature. Increased total body water has been suggested to reduce physiologic strain during exercise related heat-stress, however, data supporting that notion are not robust.
19. Water Helps Reduce Obesity
Muscles are made up of nearly 80% water. Flow of fresh water flushes the muscles, removes toxins and increase metabolism. By not drinking enough water, the body uses the riddled water impacting the weight loss. Drinking water prior to your meal time has shown helping the reduction of body weight. It reduces cravings thus making you eat less.
20. Water Propagates Life
Water helps carry nutrients across cell membrane which helps their growth, survival and vitality.
21. Assessment of Your Overall Health Status
The Odor of the Excreted Fluid can be Indicator of Your Overall Health
- Urine smells extremely strong for a drunken person.
- Foul-smelling urine may be due to bacteria.
- Sweet-smelling urine may be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes or a rare disease of metabolism.
- A moldy-smelling urine may be the outcome of a liver disease and certain metabolic disorder
- When the Body is low on fluids (concentrated urine can smell like ammonia)
Bottom Line
- Drink pure and fresh water to enjoy the numerous important health boosting benefits to Drink sustain life and it processes.
- Do not underestimate the power of this simple and easily accessible resource that is so vital for our body.
- Drink adequate amount of water daily. For men, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends a total about 3 liters of fluid each day. For women, they suggest a little over 2 liters of fluid each day.
- Carry your water bottle along and track the amount you consumed throughout the day. Try to meet the guideline by using water containing food and other healthy beverages.
Ensure drinking pure and fresh water sufficiently everyday Enjoy the God given resource which built our life and supports it until the end.
