Water regulates the body's temperature, cushions and protects
vital organs, and aids the digestive system. Because water
composes more than half of the human body, it is impossible
to sustain life for more than a week without it.
Understanding the health benefit of water may be crucial
in resolving a lot of health and wellbeing issues. This
ordinary liquid, amorphous, colorless and odorless, makes
up more than two-thirds of our own body mass - and is the
essential element of life.
One of the key elements of maintaining a healthy lifestyle
is to ensure we are constantly hydrated. The best form of
hydration comes from water. The average person considers
that any liquid consumed contributes to proper hydration
of the body. This is a misconception. Many liquids contain
a substantial amount of sodium, which dehydrates the body.
The reasons we need to drink water appear obvious, but let’s
take a closer look within our bodies. Science shows that
protoplasm, the basic material of living cells, consists
of a solution in water of fats, carbohydrates, proteins,
salts, and similar elements. Water acts as a solvent, transporting,
combining, and chemically breaking down these substances.
Step back into a basic biology class and take a more detailed
look at the body and how water plays such a vital role.
All living cells have a membrane, a cytoplasm and the center,
which hosts the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). The space between
cells (interstitial space) is an aquatic medium (organic
water). In a normal case, the minerals (trace minerals)
and micro elements penetrate the cell membrane by electro-osmosis
to the nucleus. Water is the medium in which the normal
exchange of elements, called electrolysis, happens.
Minerals, like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate
- called electrolytes - are required for basic body functions.
The loss of water can result in the loss of these minerals
(salt minerals) - essential for the life of our internal
cells.
We need to drink water to keep our cells hydrated. This
helps maintain our bodies electrochemical balance - which
keeps us alive and healthy. The quality of our internal
water also plays a very important role in the process:
if the aquatic medium is too acidic or too alkaline the
electrolysis cannot happen properly and we can become
ill.
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The
benefit of drinking water in elimination of body wastes
and toxins is important in preventing and curing
disease. If the body becomes dehydrated, the blood
becomes thick and saturated, unable to flow properly.
The excess of toxins must then be stored within the
interstitial space surrounding the cells pending
elimination for life to continue. Over time this space
begins to resemble a toxic waste site – an acidic
medium. Since the cells cannot have the proper
oxygenation and nutrition they begin to change form and
function in order to survive.
Drinking the correct of amount of water plays a critical
role in weight management and weight loss. Water plays a
key role in the metabolic breakdown of such essential molecules
as proteins and carbohydrates. Neutralizing (burning) fat
and assisting in weight loss is also an important benefit
of drinking water. Couple this with an effective workout
program and you will achieve your fitness goals in no time
at all.
If your body has a tendency to retain fluids, it might seem
logical to assume that you should drink less water. However,
the opposite is true: in order to lose the excess fluids
you're retaining, you may need to consume MORE water. Dehydration
can cause the body to retain fluid, which will be released
as you increase your water intake. The goal is to keep lots
of fluid (water) flowing through your body. This can be
achieved by increasing your fluid intake while watching
your intake of dietary sodium.
Contrary to popular belief, drinking water can help shed
excess water weight. When water is in short supply, the
body begins hoarding it. The water is stored in cellular
spaces in order to keep them alive. In other words, your
skin starts looking soft and puffy and you look and feel
heavier. Solution… drink more water.
By now, you should be extremely thirsty for water. The most
efficient way for the body to get water is for a person
to drink water.
It is recommended that an adult drink eight
to ten eight-ounce glasses of water each day. Vigorous exercise
requires a greater consumption of water intake. |