|
How
much water do we need!
By
Dr. George J Georgiou, Ph.D.,N.D.,D.Sc (A.M)
Water content of our bodies
Depending
on your age, your body can be anywhere from 55 percent to
75 percent of water. A baby is 75 percent while a very old
person is 60 percent or less. Obese people have less body
of water than lean muscular people because fat cells are only
25 percent water while muscles are 75 percent.
Our
brains are composed of 75 percent water while our blood is
80 percent. Even hard substances like bones (20 percent) and
teeth (5 percent) have some water.
Water
is so vital to our survival that we cannot live without it.
It is literally a “river of life” flowing inside
us.
Daily
loss of fluids
We
need a constant supply of water because our bodies lose a
substantial amount every day. Studies have found that we lose
from eight to 10 cups of fluid a day through our sweat, urine
and breath.
It
is difficult for the body to get water from any other source
than water itself. Soft drinks and alcohol steal tremendous
amounts of water from the body, however, even other beverages
such as coffee, milk and juice require water from the body
to be properly digested.
Role
of water in our bodies
1 |
Water
plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function.
|
2 |
Water
is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption
and chemical reactions. |
3 |
A
hydrolytic role in all aspects of body metabolism - water-dependent
chemical reactions (hydrolysis). |
4 |
Consistent
failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular
Dehydration. This condition where the body’s cells
do not get hydrated enough leaving them in a weakened
state, and vulnerable to disease processes. |
5 |
Water
regulates your body’s temperature, imagine a car
running without water in the radiator. |
6 |
Dehydration
can occur at any time of the year,not only during the
summer months when it is hot. The dryness that occurs
during winter can dehydrate the body quicker than when
it is hot, one of the main causes being central heating
and a dry atmosphere in the home. The other being not
drinking enough water. |
7 |
Products
manufactured in the brain cells are transported on “waterways”
to their destination in the nerve endings for use in the
transmission of messages. |
8 |
Proteins
and the enzymes of the body function more efficiently
in solutions of lower viscosity. |
9 |
Water
is essential for proper circulation in the body, and flexibility
of the blood vessels. |
10 |
Water
helps remove toxins (acidic waste) from the body, in particular
from the digestive tract. |
Dr.
George J Georgiou, Ph.D.,N.D.,D.Sc (A.M)
Natural Medicine Practitioner
www.naturaltherapycenter.com
|
|
GENERAL
GUIDELINES |
Athletes
and exercisers can follow the guidelines of the American
College of Sports Medicine in addition to the formulas
listed: Two cups before exercise, 4 to 8 ounces every
15-20 minutes during exercise, and two to three cups
after exercise. Serious athletes need to be weighed
before and after exercise and replenish every pound
of body weight lost with two cups of fluid.
You
can also judge if you are getting enough fluid by the
quality and volume of your urine. A normal yellow color
indicates that you are in adequate water balance while
a dark and strong smelling urine can mean that you are
dehydrated. (be aware also that certain vitamins and
medication can make your urine’s color and smell
more intense).
If
you are sedentary, you should be urinating every three
to four hours. If you are a physically active person,
you should be going to the bathroom every two to three
hours. You are drinking too little if you are urinating
less than four times a day and you are drinking too
much if you are practically living in the toilet.
BOTTOM
LINE: Don’t stop drinking water because of all
the information you hear on the media. Look at your
own personal intake of water through various foods and
fluids and top it off with a glass of calorie-free water.
Remember, if you are active or in the sunshine, drink
more and if you eat a really sweet or salty food, have
a fruit or glass of water to compensate.
|
|
