Are you drinking enough Water?
“Water is the driving force of all nature” —Leonardo Da Vinci
As a massage therapist for more than 25 years, I regularly reminded my clients to drink plenty of water. Some of my clients felt they drank plenty of water and some felt they struggled with getting enough. Most of us know that drinking water is important for health but do we really understand why it is so important and how much we actually need?
Interestingly enough 70% of the earth is covered by water and we are made up of approximately 60% to 70% water (depending on our age and hydration levels). Len Kravitz, Phd states that “Water is nature’s most important nutrient”. Although it is clear, odorless and tastes like nothing it is hugely important for many functions of the body.
The following is a list of how water supports our bodies:
Water carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells.
Water rids the cells of waste products.
Water supports the body's digestion and absorption functions.
Water prevents constipation.
Water lubricates the joints and protects the spinal cord.
Water keeps the tissues of the nose, eyes, and mouth moist.
Water supports the kidneys and the liver in flushing out waste products.
Water contains important electrolytes for the body.
Water is the medium for most chemical reactions in the body.
Water is a coolant, helping to regulate body temperature.
Water also helps with weight loss. According to John Hopkins University “the more hydrated you are, research suggests, the more efficiently your body works at tasks that range from thinking to burning body fat. Science suggests that water can help with weight loss in a variety of ways. It may suppress your appetite, boost your metabolism, and make exercise easier and more efficient, all of which could contribute to results on the scale.”
It is also important to realize that decreased fluid intake has been shown to be a risk factor for a number of diseases including: kidney stones, bladder cancer, and colorectal cancer.
So how much water should we be consuming every day?
We lose about 1 liter a day of water from perspiring, bowel movements, and breathing. We also lose another 1.5 liters of water through urinating. According to the Institute of Medicine ( IOM ) close to 20% of our fluid intake comes through food and the other 80% through drinking fluids.
The IOM recommends that sedentary men should be drinking about 3 liters (101.4 ounces) of fluid per day and sedentary women 2.2 liters (74.4 ounces) per day to prevent harmful effects of dehydration. You may also need to adjust your fluid intake based on other factors such as exercise, environment (heat and humidity) , and health related factors (pregnancy, fever, illness).
Although other beverages besides water contribute to our daily recommended fluid intake, it is important to pay attention to the calorie amount of these beverages such as juice and soda, and fancy coffees contain. According to the Mayo Clinic, in general drinking 8 glasses a day of water for most people is a reasonable goal to stay hydrated.
How can you tell if you are drinking enough water? You are rarely thirsty and your urine color is light yellow or nearly clear. Good habits to create are to drink water with every meal and in between meals. Also before, during and after exercise. Drinking too much water is rarely a problem for healthy, well nourished adults.
Resources:
Len Kravitz,2008, The Science of Water Nature's Most Important Nutrient, https://www.ideafit.com/nutrition/naturersquos-most-importantnutrient
Mayo Clinic, 2020, Water: How much should you drink every day?
John Hopkins University, 2020, Yes drinking water may help you lose weight, https://hub.jhu.edu/at-work/2020/01/15/focus-on-wellness-drinking-more-water/
