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Why do we need to drink water. Essential Guide: Why Drinking Water is Crucial for Your Health and Well-being

How does water impact your body’s functioning. What are the main reasons we need to drink water. How much water should you consume daily. When are the best times to drink water.

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The Vital Role of Water in Your Body’s Composition and Function

Water is the essence of life, and its importance in our bodies cannot be overstated. Approximately 60% of the human body consists of water, a staggering figure that underscores its critical role in our physiological processes. This substantial percentage is not merely a static presence; it’s a dynamic component that actively participates in numerous bodily functions.

Why is this water content so crucial? The answer lies in the intricate network of organ systems that rely on water for optimal performance. Our body houses 11 interdependent organ systems, each requiring adequate hydration to function properly:

  • Cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels)
  • Digestive system (esophagus, stomach, liver, intestines)
  • Endocrine system (growth and metabolism-regulating glands)
  • Integumentary system (hair, skin, nails)
  • Lymphatic system (white blood cells for immunity)
  • Muscular system (movement and posture)
  • Nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves)
  • Reproductive system
  • Respiratory system (oxygen supply to blood)
  • Skeletal system (bones and joints, mineral storage)
  • Urinary system (waste removal)

Each of these systems relies on water to carry out its specific functions, from transporting nutrients and oxygen to removing waste products. Without adequate hydration, these systems can falter, leading to a cascade of health issues.

The Three Primary Reasons We Need to Drink Water

While water’s role in our body is multifaceted, there are three primary reasons why maintaining proper hydration is crucial for our health and well-being:

1. Temperature Regulation

Our bodies have a remarkable ability to maintain a constant internal temperature of 98.6°F (37°C), and water plays a pivotal role in this thermoregulation process. How does water help regulate body temperature? Water acts as a coolant, absorbing and dissipating heat through perspiration. When we sweat, the evaporation of water from our skin surface helps cool our body.

Certain factors can increase our need for water to maintain this temperature balance:

  • Living in a warm climate
  • High physical activity levels
  • Illness, especially when accompanied by fever
  • Experiencing diarrhea or vomiting

In these situations, increased water intake becomes crucial to prevent dehydration and maintain proper body function. Failing to replenish lost fluids can lead to serious consequences, ranging from mild disorientation to severe cases of kidney failure.

2. Waste Elimination

Water serves as the body’s natural cleaning agent, playing a vital role in waste elimination. How does water aid in this process? The kidneys, our body’s filtration system, rely heavily on water to perform their function. Each day, they filter between 120 and 150 quarts of blood, producing 1 to 2 quarts of urine.

This process removes toxins, excess minerals, and other waste products from our bloodstream. Without sufficient water, the kidneys cannot function optimally, potentially leading to the accumulation of waste and excess fluid in the body. This can result in various health issues, including kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Moreover, water is essential for maintaining regular bowel movements. Adequate hydration helps prevent constipation by softening stools and promoting smooth passage through the intestines. For those struggling with constipation, increasing water intake is often a simple yet effective remedy.

3. Joint Lubrication

The role of water in joint health is often overlooked, but it’s crucial for maintaining mobility and preventing discomfort. How does water contribute to joint health? Cartilage, the cushioning agent in our joints and spinal discs, consists of about 80% water. This high water content allows cartilage to maintain its shock-absorbing properties, enabling smooth and pain-free movement.

When the body is dehydrated, cartilage can become less resilient, leading to increased friction between joints. This can result in stiffness, discomfort, and even pain, particularly in weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. The Arthritis Foundation emphasizes the importance of hydration, stating, “If there’s a magical elixir to drink, it’s water.”

Determining Your Daily Water Intake: How Much is Enough?

While the importance of staying hydrated is clear, determining the right amount of water to consume can be less straightforward. Individual water needs can vary based on factors such as age, sex, activity level, climate, and overall health status. However, general guidelines can provide a starting point for most people.

According to recommendations from the Mayo Clinic and Medical News Today, the daily water intake should be:

  • For women: 91 ounces (2.7 liters)
  • For men: 125 ounces (3.7 liters)

These figures might seem high at first glance, but it’s important to note that they include water from all sources, not just drinking water. A significant portion of our daily water intake comes from the foods we eat, particularly fruits and vegetables with high water content.

How can you ensure you’re getting enough water? Listen to your body. Thirst is a reliable indicator of your body’s need for hydration. Additionally, monitoring the color of your urine can provide insights into your hydration status. Pale yellow urine generally indicates good hydration, while dark yellow or amber-colored urine may suggest you need to increase your fluid intake.

The Best Times to Drink Water for Optimal Hydration

While it’s important to maintain consistent hydration throughout the day, certain times can be particularly beneficial for drinking water. Here are seven optimal moments to reach for that glass of water:

  1. Upon Waking: After a night’s sleep, your body is naturally dehydrated. Drinking 1-2 cups of water upon waking can help rehydrate your system and jumpstart your metabolism.
  2. Before Meals: Consuming water 30 minutes before eating can aid digestion and may help control appetite.
  3. During and After Exercise: Replace fluids lost through sweat by drinking water before, during, and after physical activity.
  4. When You’re Feeling Hungry: Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Try drinking water when you feel hungry between meals.
  5. In Hot or Humid Weather: Increase your water intake in warm conditions to compensate for fluid loss through sweating.
  6. When You’re Ill: Staying hydrated is crucial when fighting off illness, especially if you have a fever or are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.
  7. Before Bedtime: A small glass of water before bed can help prevent dehydration during sleep, but be mindful not to drink too much to avoid nighttime bathroom trips.

The Consequences of Inadequate Hydration: Understanding Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in, disrupting the normal bodily functions. While mild dehydration can be easily remedied, severe cases can lead to serious health complications. What are the signs and symptoms of dehydration?

  • Increased thirst
  • Dry mouth and lips
  • Reduced urine output or dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Headache
  • Dry skin
  • Rapid heartbeat

In more severe cases, dehydration can lead to:

  • Confusion
  • Rapid breathing
  • Fainting
  • Shock
  • Kidney problems

Certain groups are at higher risk of dehydration, including young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and those who engage in intense physical activity or live in hot climates. For these individuals, maintaining proper hydration is particularly crucial.

Beyond Plain Water: Other Sources of Hydration

While plain water is the most straightforward and calorie-free way to stay hydrated, it’s not the only source of fluids for your body. What other beverages and foods can contribute to your daily fluid intake?

Hydrating Beverages

  • Herbal teas
  • Low-fat milk
  • Fresh fruit juices (in moderation due to sugar content)
  • Coconut water
  • Clear broths

Water-Rich Foods

  • Watermelon (92% water)
  • Cucumber (95% water)
  • Tomatoes (94% water)
  • Zucchini (95% water)
  • Strawberries (91% water)
  • Cantaloupe (90% water)

While these alternatives can contribute to your overall fluid intake, it’s important to be mindful of added sugars, calories, and caffeine content in some beverages. Plain water remains the most efficient and healthiest option for staying hydrated.

Innovative Ways to Increase Your Water Intake

For some people, drinking plain water throughout the day can feel like a chore. How can you make staying hydrated more enjoyable and effortless? Here are some creative strategies:

  • Infuse your water: Add slices of fruits, vegetables, or herbs to your water for a natural flavor boost. Try combinations like lemon and mint, cucumber and basil, or strawberry and orange.
  • Use a marked water bottle: Invest in a water bottle with time markers to track your intake throughout the day.
  • Set reminders: Use smartphone apps or set alarms to remind you to drink water regularly.
  • Eat your water: Incorporate more water-rich fruits and vegetables into your diet.
  • Create a ritual: Associate drinking water with specific daily activities, like checking emails or commercial breaks during TV shows.
  • Try sparkling water: If you enjoy carbonated beverages, unsweetened sparkling water can be a refreshing alternative to still water.
  • Use a straw: Some people find they drink more water when using a straw.

Remember, the key is to find methods that work for you and make hydration a natural part of your daily routine.

The Impact of Hydration on Physical and Mental Performance

Proper hydration is not just about quenching thirst; it plays a crucial role in both physical and cognitive function. How does staying well-hydrated impact your performance?

Physical Performance

Adequate hydration is essential for optimal physical performance. Even mild dehydration can significantly impact your body’s ability to function during exercise or physical labor. Proper hydration helps:

  • Regulate body temperature
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Prevent cramps
  • Lubricate joints
  • Transport nutrients to cells
  • Maintain blood volume and cardiovascular function

Athletes and those engaging in intense physical activities need to be particularly mindful of their hydration status to maintain peak performance and prevent heat-related illnesses.

Cognitive Function

The brain is highly sensitive to dehydration. Even mild fluid loss can have noticeable effects on cognitive performance. Proper hydration supports:

  • Concentration and focus
  • Short-term memory
  • Mood regulation
  • Reaction times
  • Visual and spatial processing

Studies have shown that dehydration can impair cognitive performance to a degree similar to that of alcohol intoxication. Staying well-hydrated is crucial for maintaining mental clarity and productivity throughout the day.

By understanding the far-reaching effects of hydration on both physical and mental performance, we can appreciate the importance of making water consumption a priority in our daily lives. Whether you’re an athlete preparing for competition, a student studying for exams, or a professional tackling a demanding workday, proper hydration is key to performing at your best.

Why Do We Need to Drink Water? | Healthy Eating

By M.T. Wroblewski Updated December 06, 2018

It may not be particularly warm outside, but you know when you need a drink of water – and fast. You’re excessively thirsty, perhaps even feeling a bit dizzy or lightheaded. Even if you haven’t been exercising vigorously, your muscles may feel weak, your back may hurt and your joints and muscles may feel stiff. You’re not imagining things; your body is simply signaling how dependent it is on water.

Water Is Your Body’s Fuel

About 60 percent of your body consists of water, which may sound like a lot until you realize how far that water must travel and the functions it must perform – every single day. All of the organs, tissues and cells in your body require water for proper functioning. There are 11 organ systems in your body that function interdependently. They are:

  • Cardiovascular system – heart and blood vessels.
  • Digestive system – esophagus, stomach, liver, large intestine, small intestine, anus and rectum.
  • Endocrine system – glands that regulate growth and metabolism. Integumentary system – hair, skin and nails. Lymphatic system – houses white blood cells vital to immunity to illness.* Muscular system – for movement and good posture.
  • Nervous system – brain, spinal cord and nerves.* Reproductive system
  • Respiratory system – supplies blood with oxygen. Skeletal system – all bones and joints. Bones store minerals, which water helps replenish. Urinary system – removes waste from the body (also known as the excretory system).

The “Big Three” Reasons

On a day-to-day basis, most people are unlikely to complain that their “skeletal system” or their “urinary system” is giving them problems. A lack of water is likely to show up in three ways that can be cast in more relatable terms (that once again underscore how the 11 organ systems work together). Water is vital to good health because it:

Your body needs water to maintain a healthy internal temperature of 98.6 degrees. You’re likely to need more water to maintain this temperature, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, if you:

  • Live in a warm climate* Are very active
  • Are sick with a fever* Suffer from a bout of diarrhea or vomiting 

When your body is running low on water and the brain signals that you’re thirsty, by all means drink. Failing to do so can lead to dehydration, which in mild forms can lead to temporary disorientation and dizziness and in severe cases – kidney failure.

Water is a simple remedy for people who suffer from constipation, and another look at the body’s interrelated parts helps explain why. Every day, the kidneys rely on water to filter between 120 and 150 quarts of blood and 1 to 2 quarts of urine. But if the kidneys malfunction, excess fluid and waste can accumulate in the body. Water is the key to ensuring that the kidneys function as they should and wastes are flushed from the body.

Cartilage in the body – the cushioning agent of joints and discs of the spine – consists of about 80 percent water. So when cartilage becomes dried out, it follows that the joints are less able to shrug off bumps and knocks. Instead, they can feel stiff or bristle with pain. The solution? As the Arthritis Foundation states, “If there’s a magical elixir to drink, it’s water.”

How Much Water?

Just as your appetite for food fluctuates, so does your thirst for water, and staying tuned to your body’s signal for water is the best way to ensure you drink enough, especially since the amount of water you lose every day pivots on how much you perspire and excrete through urine and bowel movements.

The Mayo Clinic and Medical News Today recommend a daily intake of:

  • 91 ounces (or 2.7 liters) of water for women* 125 ounces (or 3. 7 liters) of water for men

These recommendations can seem high, but remember that some of the water we get comes from our food. For example, certain vegetables (like zucchini) and fruit (like watermelon) teem with water, which can help you meet your recommended daily intake.

When you find yourself craving sugary drinks, remember the empty calories they contain. Water may be bland, but its attributes can’t be denied. As the Mayo Clinic says: “Water is your best bet because it’s calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.”

The 7 Best Times to Drink Water

Regardless of your hydration goal, drink consistently throughout the day. Here are seven times when sipping is a smart move to make:

1. When You Wake Up, Consume One to Two Cups of Water

Rather than a bleary-eyed reach for the coffee, drink one to two cups of water first. Because you don’t drink while you’re sleeping, you wake up already dehydrated, explains Krieger. Having water now can get you back up to your baseline. This can also help if you take medication in the morning. Then, yes, go get your coffee. The good news is that it counts as fluid, too, and, although it is a caffeinated drink, which tends to be dehydrating, moderate amounts of java are not dehydrating, according to a small, previous study in 50 men. (Still, coffee is not a replacement for water.)

2. To Regulate Hunger, a Glass of Water Before a Meal May Help

Water may play a role in weight management, says Melissa Mitri, RDN, owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition LLC in Milford, Connecticut. “Drinking a cup of water before a meal can help you feel more full and help prevent overeating,” she says. Indeed, a small study found that drinking water before a meal helped men and women eat less and feel just as satisfied as a group who didn’t drink water before. Researchers published their findings in October 2018 in the journal Clinical Nutrition Research.

It may also be better if it’s iced. A small study on men in the European Journal of Nutrition in January 2019 found that participants who drank two cups of iced water at 35 degrees F ate less food compared with groups that drank warm or hot water, as the chilly temp slows digestion and may help reduce appetite.

RELATED: 21 Tips for Weight Loss That Actually Work

3. Have a Glass of Water to Help Wash Down a Meal

Drinking water with food aids digestion, says Mitri. Water is especially important to drink alongside high-fiber foods. Fiber moves through your digestive system and absorbs water, helping form stools and promote regularity, she says. So if you’re packing your plate with plant-based foods (as you should!), sip on water, too.

4. Rather Than Reaching for Coffee to Cure a Midafternoon Slump, Drink Water

It’s common to experience the midafternoon dip, a downward slide of energy that happens around 3 p. m. This slump compels many people go get coffee to power through the end of the day, but this beverage choice can cut into your sleep, says Mitri. Even drinking caffeine six hours before bed was found to disrupt sleep compared with a placebo, concludes past research. Reaching for a sugary snack can have similarly unwelcome effects: namely, an energy crash after a spike. Instead of turning to these imperfect solutions, address the root cause, which may be dehydration. A review published in Nutrients in January 2019 notes that in addition to fatigue, dehydration can cause anger, hostility, confusion, and depression. Thus, making water a daily habit can help ensure your energy — and mood — stay steady.

RELATED: 10 Stress-Fighting Snacks to Keep in Your Desk

5. 

Drink h30 When You Have a Headache

A headache can be a symptom of dehydration, says the National Headache Foundation. What’s more, it can also trigger migraine attacks. For those with migraines, increasing water intake may help decrease migraine severity, frequency, and duration, suggests a July 2020 trial in adult women published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

6. Hydrate Smartly Before, During, and After Exercise

Hydrating begins a day or two before exercise, says Krieger. You also won’t want to slam water before a workout in hopes of hydrating up — that will likely lead to uncomfortable sloshing and bloating as you move. Make sure you’re drinking water regularly in the days leading up to a workout, particularly those that are tough or sweaty. In fact, according to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, you should focus on a hydration strategy starting the week before an endurance race, as a November 2019 study in Sports Medicine shows that going into it dehydrated even by a small amount can decrease performance. For moderate workouts (such as a jog outside, a speed walk in the morning, hopping on a recumbent bike), drink a cup of water about 30 minutes prior and sip during exercise, adds Mitri. Then be sure to hydrate well after your workout is complete to replace what you’ve lost through sweat.

RELATED: 8 Foods High in Water That Can Help Prevent Dehydration

7. Have a Sip or Two of Water Before Bedtime

Don’t drink a cup or two of water before bed — you’ll have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and that will disturb your sleep. However, go ahead and bring a glass of water to your bedside at night, just in case you get thirsty. For many patients on medication, one common side effect is dry mouth, so keeping h30 nearby can be helpful, says Krieger.

Expert Tips to Make a Water Habit Happen

Know how many water bottles you need to drink. It can be arduous to count cups, milliliters, or ounces. A simpler tracking method, says Krieger, is to tell yourself you’re going to drink X number of bottles. For instance: You need to fill up your 500 milliliter (ml) Swell bottle four times. Or you’re going to drink four Dasani bottles.

Make drinking water more interesting. “A lot of people don’t have a taste for water,” says Krieger. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you’ll want to do the work to identify how you like it so that you’ll actually drink more. Maybe that’s room temperature or with ice. Filtered or from the tap. Or with slices of orange.

RELATED: 12 Ways to Help Prevent Dehydration

Keep water by your bedside. This isn’t just critical for staying hydrated, but also for reinforcing the habit because it serves as a visual reminder to start sipping, says Mitri. What’s more, “if you start with water, it makes it easier to continue that habit throughout the day rather than playing catch-up,” she says.

Try a challenge. Old habits can be hard to break, and new ones can be tough to form. Commit to a hydration challenge, like chief medical correspondent of ABC News, Jennifer Ashton, MD, took on for her book The Self-Care Solution, to hold yourself accountable. Fun apps like Plant Nanny can coach you through your “self-watering” process. Or try Madefor, which is focused on building those cognitive connections that make good-for-you moves, like hydrating, automatic.

Health Benefits to Drinking More Water – Cleveland Clinic

You’ve likely seen someone lugging around a gallon of water at the gym, school or work before. And sure, you understand the importance of staying hydrated, but is drinking a gallon of water a day really necessary?

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Dietitian Beth Czerwony, MS, RD, CSOWM, LD, discusses what to know about this trend, how much water you should really be drinking and what factors influence your hydration levels. Plus, she offers practical advice about how to drink more water throughout the day.

Is drinking a gallon of water a day recommended?

“Drinking a gallon of water a day is not really necessary, but it’s not going to hurt you either,” says Czerwony. “Everybody’s hydration levels are different, but most people don’t need a daily gallon.”

Your body is incredibly efficient and will let you know when it is thirsty. People have different water needs based on their weight, activity level, how much they sweat, how hot it is, what medications they’re on and what they eat.

Obviously, everyone wants to avoid being dehydrated, but that doesn’t mean you have to fill up on 128-ounces of water every single day to avoid it. A good rule of thumb is to take a peek at the color of your pee. If you’re hydrated, it should be a light lemonade color, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be clear. If your pee is darker, that might be an indicator to up your water intake, but keep in mind that some medications (and even food) can affect the color too.

How much water should you be drinking in general?

Everybody’s hydration levels vary, but the standard number to aim for is 64-ounces a day.

Your activity level, your location, your metabolism and your size should all be considered into this number as well. Some people naturally require more water than that, while others a bit less.

Concerned about peeing all the time?

“I often tell patients that if you opt to drink a gallon of water a day – or just up your water intake in general – you’ll definitely get your steps in,” jokes Czerwony. “Obviously your body isn’t used to that level of water so you’re going to be running to the bathroom at lot more often when you first start.”

But there’s good news! As you drink more liquid, your kidney function and hormones will start to change and you’ll likely notice your body recalibrating and becoming more efficient at handling the high water volume.

You might even notice that your body will start to crave more water the more you drink. Just focus on drinking water steadily throughout the day instead of guzzling it all down in the evening. Your bladder will thank you!

The benefits of drinking water

Our bodies are made up of mostly water, so we need to stay hydrated to function properly. If we’re dehydrated, all sorts of weird things can start to happen.

Looking for some inspiration to chug? Czerwony breaks down why water is the holy grail for our bodies:

  • It lubricates your joints. Water acts like WD-40® for your joints and bones. It hydrates the padding between your joints, making it easier to move around.
  • Helps your organs and cells work properly. You need water down to a cellular level for your cells to operate as they should. Your cells run the show – everything from hair growth to healing a wound to balancing your hormones. Water is also vital for your organs to work properly.
  • Helps with digestion. Fluid in your gut helps to rid your body of solid waste. Isn’t it so much more comfortable when things are regular?
  • Water boosts your energy. Dehydration makes you tired and can even make you nauseous. (Ever wake up in the morning not feeling so great? It’s likely because of the lack of water overnight. ) Water helps blood and oxygen flow more freely to your organs, making you feel more alert and energized. Try drinking a big glass of water first thing after you wake up.
  • It regulates your body temperature. Water helps your internal body temperature adjust to the external temperature around you. When you’re overheated, your body knows to sweat to cool you off.
  • Improves skin. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and is constantly exposed to toxins. Water helps flush these toxins out of your system. If you don’t drink enough water, your skin can overcompensate and turn oily to try to flush out the contaminants on its own.  
  • Curbs cravings. Often times we confuse thirst with hunger or food cravings. If you’re feeling hungry, drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes. You might find that the craving has passed because you were actually just thirsty. Water can also regulate your hunger and thirst cues throughout the day – helping you make smarter, healthier food choices.

Can drinking a gallon of water a day be harmful?

For most people, there is really no limit for daily water intake and a gallon a day is not harmful. But for those who have congestive heart failure or end stage kidney disease, sometimes water needs to be restricted because the body can’t process it correctly. Talk to your doctor about water intake if you or a loved one falls into this group.

It’s also worth noting that although it’s very rare, drinking too much water too quickly can be dangerous.

“Hyponatremia is when the sodium levels in your body drop too low because of too much water,” explains Czerwony. “Other conditions can trigger hyponatremia, but it can also be caused by consuming too much water in a very short amount of time. All of the water dilutes your sodium levels and your blood can become ‘watered down’.”

So how much is too much too soon? Think: chugging between 200 and 300 ounces of water in a few hours. In the past, kids and teens have called this “the water challenge” and it can be life-threatening.

Tips for drinking more water throughout the day

If you’re committed to drinking more water, but aren’t ready to jump on board the gallon a day train, consider just upping your water intake.

Here’s how to drink more water throughout the day:

  • Pick out a water bottle you love and always have it with you. Put your water bottle or glass of water in your line of vision. Having the constant visual reminder to drink throughout the day can help. Go ahead and play around with the sizes too. If you’re aiming to get in 64 ounces and your bottle holds 32 ounces, set a goal to be finished with one bottle by noon each day. Some bottles even have time indicators to motivate you to get so many ounces in by specific times – whatever works for you!  
  • Drink a glass of water after every bathroom break. Every time you get up to use the bathroom (or get a snack or stretch for that matter), drink a glass of water. Not only is taking frequent breaks throughout the day good for your mental health and posture, but you can use these breaks as a way to nourish your body with more water.
  • Add fruit or water enhancers. Ideally, the best beverage is going to be plain ole’ water. But if that just isn’t doing it for you, try adding fresh fruit or a water flavor enhancer (typically found in tablet, liquid or powder form). Just be sure it’s five calories or less per serving and read the label to check for caffeine. Plain carbonated water also counts towards your daily intake if that’s what you prefer.  
  • Drink a glass of water before every meal. This rule is often recommended for those watching their weight, especially in helping to decode hunger or avoid overeating. It’s common to confuse thirst with hunger, so taking a moment to drink before you eat helps better determine if you really are hungry or if you’re just thirsty. Bonus – even if you decide you’re hungry and it’s time to eat, you just snuck in another glass of h30! 
  • Use an app or ask technology to help. If you have a smart speaker, ask it to remind you to drink water throughout the day. Or download an app that rings or flashes to remind you to drink. You can also simply set an alarm every 30 minutes to take a swig.

Drinking Enough Water | HealthLink BC

Topic Overview

Why is it important to drink enough water?

Water keeps every part of your body working properly. It helps your body flush wastes and stay at the right temperature. It can help prevent kidney stones and constipation.

You lose water throughout the day—through your breath, sweat, urine, and bowel movements. If you live in a hot climate, you lose even more fluid.

You need to replace this lost fluid to stay healthy. If you don’t get enough water, you could become dehydrated. If you get very dehydrated, your body no longer has enough fluid to get blood to your organs. This is dangerous.

Do you have to drink only water to stay hydrated?

All liquids help you stay hydrated. Water is usually the best choice, because it’s almost free (if you’re drinking tap water) and has no sugar or calories. But most healthy people can get enough fluid through the beverages they consume every day. 

Experts say that it’s not true that beverages that have caffeine—such as coffee and tea—always dehydrate you. Healthy people who consume moderate amounts of caffeine don’t lose more fluid than people who don’t have any caffeine.footnote 1 Try to limit the amount of caffeine you have to 400 milligrams a day.footnote 2 That’s about three (250 mL) cups of black coffee or four (250mL) cups of black tea.

You also get water through food. Some fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, such as watermelon and lettuce.

How much water do you need to drink every day?

A common recommendation is to drink six or eight 250 mL (8 fl oz) glasses of water or other fluid every day. But some adults may need more or less, depending on how healthy they are, how much they exercise, and how hot and dry the climate is.

You may sometimes need to drink more water than usual if you:

  • Exercise intensely, especially in a hot climate.
  • Are sick, such as with the flu, or have a health problem like a urinary tract infection.
  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How can you tell if you are drinking enough water?

The easiest way to know if you’re drinking enough fluid is to look at the colour of your urine. If you’re drinking enough water, your urine will be clear or pale yellow. A darker yellow means you aren’t drinking enough water.

If you have any health problems, always talk to your doctor before increasing the amount of water you drink. You may need to limit your fluids if you have certain health concerns, such as kidney problems or heart failure.

It can be dangerous to drink too much water. But it’s rare that anyone drinks too much water. The risk is highest for people who do endurance sports, such as running marathons.

Too much water is dangerous because it would dilute the amount of sodium in your body. This imbalance could cause serious problems, such as confusion, seizures, and coma.

Experts advise athletes who do intense activity to drink a sports drink that contains sodium, other electrolytes, and some sugar. Most people don’t need sports drinks if they are exercising for less than an hour in moderate temperatures. Plain water is fine.

What are some easy ways to get more water during the day?

  • Drink a glass of water when you get up in the morning, before you have coffee or tea.
  • Keep a cup or water bottle by your desk at work. Take several sips of water each hour. If you don’t have a desk job, carry a container of water with you, and take sips throughout the day.
  • Take a sip whenever you pass a drinking fountain.
  • If you get tired of drinking plain water, add a packet of sugarless flavouring to your water. Or put a slice of lemon or lime in plain or sparkling water.

Is bottled water better than tap water?

No. A lot of plain bottled water is just tap water that has been purified. It’s your choice how you want to drink water. If you like bubbly mineral water, drink that. If you like the idea of vitamins and electrolytes in your water, you can find several varieties of enhanced water at the store.

If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, or if you just want to be extra careful, you can purify tap water at home. Water filters are available in many stores.

How much water should you drink a day?

It’s also important to remember that our thirst mechanisms lose sensitivity once we’re over 60.

“As we age, our natural thirst mechanism becomes less sensitive and we become more prone to dehydration than younger people. As we age, we may need to be more attentive to our fluid consumption habits to stay hydrated,” says Davy.

Most experts agree that our fluid requirements vary depending on a person’s age, body size, gender, environment and level of physical activity.

“One of fallacies of the 8×8 rule is its stark over-simplification of how we as organisms respond to the environment we’re in,” says Rosenburg. “We ought to think of fluid requirement in the same way as energy requirement, where we talk about the temperature we’re in and level of physical activity were engaged in.”

Most experts tend to agree we don’t need to be concerned about drinking an arbitrary amount of water per day: our bodies signal to us when we’re thirsty, much like they do when we’re hungry or tired. The only health benefit of drinking more than you need, it seems, will be the extra calories you expend by running to the loo more often.

What does dehydration look like?

Dehydration means you’re losing more fluids than you’re taking in. According to the NHS, symptoms of dehydration include dark yellow urine; feeling tired, lightheaded or dizzy; having dry mouth, lips and eyes; and urinating fewer than four times a day. But the most common symptom? Simply feeling thirsty.

Want to know the truth behind other food and nutrition myths? In other editions of our column Food Fictions, we investigate topics like whether sugar really is bad for you, if juicing has any health benefits and if vitamin C, echinacea or soup can cure the common cold.

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Drinking Water | healthdirect

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Drinking plenty of water every day is essential for good health. Australian tap water is the best choice for staying well hydrated.

Why is water important for good health?

Water is an essential part of a healthy balanced diet because the body relies on it to function properly. Between 50% and 80% of the human body is made up of water. All the body’s chemical processes take place in water. We need water for digestion, to absorb nutrients, to help us move, get rid of waste products and to regulate our body temperature.

If the body doesn’t have enough water (known as dehydration), it won’t function as well. People who don’t drink enough water every day are at greater risk of kidney stones, problems with their heart valves and some kinds of cancer. Even minor dehydration can affect physical and mental performance.

Drinking water is also essential for the health of your mouth. Drinking water in most parts of Australia contains fluoride, which helps to protect against tooth decay. Water is also needed for the body to make saliva, which is important for washing food away from the teeth and helping you chew, taste, swallow and digest food.

Many functions in the human body rely on water to work properly.
View the full version of this water infographic here.

How much water should I drink?

The amount of water that someone should drink varies greatly from person to person. It depends on how your individual metabolism works, what the temperature is, what you eat, your age and whether you have a medical condition. It’s especially important for children and older people to drink enough water.

We get about one fifth of the water we need from food and the rest from drinking fluids. The body gets rid of water throughout the day through breathing and sweating, as well as by going to the toilet.

As a general rule, men need about 10 cups of fluids every day and women need about 8 cups (add another cup a day if you are pregnant or breastfeeding). Babies need 0.7 to 0.8 litres of fluid a day from breast milk or formula, while children need between 4 cups (for 1-year-olds) and 6 to 8 cups a day (for teenagers). In Australia, 1 cup is equivalent to 250ml.

You can get water from any fluids — including tea and coffee, fruit juice and soft drinks. But be careful how much of these you drink since they can make you put on weight, damage your teeth and have an unwanted stimulant effect.

Australian tap water is always the best choice — including tea and coffee, fruit juice and soft drinks. But be careful how much of these you drink because they can make you put on weight, damage your teeth and have an unwanted stimulant effect.

Is bottled water healthier than tap water?

Bottled water has no more health benefits than tap water. Tap water is just as safe to drink, unless there has been an incident in the area that affects the quality of the water, such as a flood or the discovery of bacteria in the supply. The fluoride in tap water is also important for healthy teeth.

Many people believe bottled water is healthier because it contains added minerals. However, studies have shown that bottled water can have less magnesium, potassium and calcium than tap water. Some varieties can also contain higher levels of potentially harmful substances, including chlorine, nitrate and chemicals released from the plastic such as bisphenol A (BPA).

Bottled water has lower quality controls than tap drinking water, while plastic bottles are not good for the environment.

How can I stay hydrated?

To stay hydrated, it’s important to drink before you feel thirsty. This is especially important if you are exercising or if it’s a hot day. Even if you’re not thirsty, try to drink water regularly throughout the day.

You can tell if you are well hydrated by the colour of your urine. If it is pale yellow or straw-coloured, you are probably hydrated. If it’s darker, you need to drink more water. You can see the colour your urine should be on this urine colour chart — but remember that taking some medicines or vitamin supplements can change the colour of your urine for a few hours.

You can stay hydrated by:

  • always carrying a water bottle with you
  • choosing water rather than tea, coffee or drinks that contain caffeine — these make you go to the toilet more regularly and so make you more dehydrated
  • keeping chilled water in the fridge on hot days
  • flavouring water with lemon, strawberries or mint to add flavour
  • always having water on the table when you’re eating

What happens when you don’t drink enough water?

Not drinking enough water can make you very ill. Severe dehydration can lead to dizziness and collapse. If you are showing any signs of dehydration, drink some water straight away and seek medical advice if you still don’t feel better.

Older people are at greater risk of dehydration because they naturally feel less thirsty and their kidneys may not work as well. Memory problems, taking some medicines such as diuretics and laxatives and not being able to move around to fetch a drink all make it harder to stay hydrated.

For older people, not drinking enough water in the long term can lead to serious problems such as constipation, a decline in memory, not being able to function as well, having a fall, and having a stroke.

These are the signs that you need to drink more water:

Is it possible to drink too much water?

In some people, drinking too much water can lead to a dangerous condition called hyponatremia, where the levels of sodium in the blood become too diluted. This can occasionally happen to people who drink too much while they’re doing intense physical activity, such as running a marathon. Babies can also have too much water if their formula is too diluted.

People with chronic kidney disease, heart failure or liver disease, who cannot get rid of water from the body as efficiently, should talk to their doctor about how much water to drink. If you have some other long-term medical condition, it is also a good idea to discuss your water consumption habits with the doctor.

The Best Time to Drink Water Throughout The Day, According to Science

Drinking eight glasses of water a day in order to stay properly hydrated is (hopefully) not news to most of us. But, did you know there are actually specific points during the day that are the best time to drink water? In fact, drinking water at those times can even boost your overall health and cognitive functioning. If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Water is water, I need it no matter the time of day!” While this is technically true, research shows that you can actually absorb more of water’s health benefits and improve your internal processes by drinking it at optimal times throughout the day.  

Science shows that drinking water at the correct times of day can help to prevent common problems such as stomach pain, IBS, bloating, fatigue, overeating, high blood pressure, constipation, and even heart attack and stroke.

On the flip side, there are also certain times of day when it’s advised to forego the h3O since our bodies are busy and need all internal roadways clear to do their work. So, it’s time to maximize water’s effectiveness and reap all the health benefits that nature’s long-standing MVP has to offer. Here are the best times of day to drink (and not to drink) water. 

ed note: The views expressed in this article reflect those of the author and are intended to share ideas and spark a conversation that will empower women to be proactive in their health. As always when it comes to matters of health, we encourage you to do your research, do what’s right for you, and talk with your doctor so that you can create a plan that’s optimal for you.

1 of 7

DO: Drink Right When You Wake Up

Your first glass of water should be right when you wake up. Drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning can do wonders for our bodies, both internally and externally. In fact, drinking two semi-warm glasses of water first thing in the morning is an ancient Japanese daily ritual, and has been attributed to the health, beauty, and longevity of its people—(hello #skingoals.)

A glass or two of water first thing in the AM helps to kick your brain and body out of sleep mode and into grind mode. It also gets rid of any toxins and stubborn free radicals that have accumulated in your circulatory system overnight and help to clean and purify your body’s internal organs. World’s easiest two-minute detox? Consider it done.

Pro Tip: For best results, try not to eat anything until 30-40 minutes after drinking, as this is the time the body takes to steam-clean, hydrate, and energize the cells with new oxygen.

2 of 7

DO: Drink Before You Eat

Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before any main meal of the day, it will help with digestion and keep your caloric intake in check. Not only does the water prepare your intestines for the food coming down the pike, but it also prevents you from over-eating, since the water lines your stomach and makes you feel fuller faster. Zero-cal appetizer? We’ll take two.

According to Ilana Muhlstein, MS, RDN, who is part of the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association and leads the Bruin Health Improvement Program at UCLA, consuming water before a meal can create a sense of fullness and reduce your appetite. She tells The Thirty, “When you take something heavy, like 16 ounces of water, it really adds this weight and heaviness in your stomach, and it completely quiets that sense of urgency because you’re satisfying that hunger hormone. It leads to this sense of calmness and fullness.

Pro Tip: If you’re hungry between meals, pour yourself a tall glass of water first to see if you’re dehydrated. Sometimes people think they’re hungry when they’re really just thirsty.

3 of 7

DON’T: Drown Your Stomach During Mealtime

A common mistake that people make(myself included) is gulping down water during and immediately after eating. Since we absorb water best when our stomachs are not full of food, drinking heavy amounts of water during or directly after a meal dilutes the natural juices that aid in digestion. It is recommended to drink one glass of water 30 minutes before, during, and after a meal—but no more. This will allow your digestive system to do its thing without any wet and wild distractions and will help your body to absorb the nutrients more efficiently.

Ali Miller, RD, CDE integrative dietitian, and owner of Naturally Nourished tells Prevention: “Excessive liquids during meals can lead to bloating, indigestion, and even nutrient malabsorption.

Pro Tip: Stopping for small sips during a meal slows down the speed at which you eat, causing you to eat less overall. Eating at a slower speed allows you to check in with your hunger signals, and usually makes a meal more enjoyable. And we all know enjoying what you eat is a big part of maintaining a balanced diet and, if we’re being real, a happy life.

4 of 7PHOTO: Kristen Kilpatrick Photography, Camille Styles, www.camillestyles.com, Outdoor Voices, Modern workout gear, Malibu Poke, Seaholm Austin, Austin Seaholm Malibu poke, Camille Styles Kristen Kilpatrick, Austin Texas Blogger, Austin Texas Camille Styles, Camille Styles Home, Camille Styles Lifestyle Blog, Matties Austin, Matties Austin New Years, New Years Looks

DO: Drink Before a Workout (and After)

Depending on your body’s fluid levels at the time, you may need one or more glasses of water before you hit the gym to protect against dehydration during your workout. When we sweat, we lose both water and electrolytes, so it’s important to drink at least eight ounces of water beforehand to preemptively replace the fluids lost through sweat and humidity during exercise.  

Pro Tip: Following vigorous exercise, you may need to drink several ounces of water to replenish vital fluids lost throughout your workout. The amount you’ll need depends on your weight, health, and whether you exercised in hot or humid conditions—especially for long periods—among other factors.

5 of 7

DON’T: Drink Too Much During a Workout

Keep yourself hydrated while exercising, but avoid drinking too much. Excess water consumption during your workout will reduce sodium concentration in your body and deplete your natural electrolytes, resulting in fatigue or worse. 

Just a few small sips (enough to coat your mouth and throat) during your workout’s rest periods will keep you hydrated and keep your energy levels stable. You want to avoid over-hydrating and diluting your natural energy, so the best thing to do is to listen to your body.

6 of 7

DO: Drink Before Bedtime

If you are hydrated before going to bed and sleeping, you may lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, as dehydration elevates the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In fact, according to a study in the European Journal of Nutrition, dehydration can impair vascular function almost as much as smoking a cigarette. 

Stavros Kavouras, associate professor and coordinator of the Exercise Science Program at the University of Arkansas, mentions in the study, “You could be mildly dehydrated without knowing it while you have endothelial impairment similar to smoking a cigarette. The degree of dehydration when these changes occur is at less than two percent dehydration, which is around the threshold when people start feeling thirsty.”

Dehydration can also adversely affect your mood, which in turn can throw your overall sleep cycle out of whack. And isn’t that reason enough to have a glass before bed?

Pro Tip: Try to drink your last glass of water about an hour before bed, if you can, so that you aren’t waking up all night to go to the bathroom.

7 of 7

DO: Drink When You’re Tired

Drinking a glass of water when you feel tired will help to power up your brain. Since your brain consists of 75% water, drinking a glass or two when you’re feeling sleepy will help to replenish vital fluid levels and increase cognitive functioning. Drink a glass of water if you’re feeling tired at work or if you have a big presentation coming up and need to focus. If you have a hankering for a nap but unfortunately can’t take one, drink a glass of cool water instead.

Pro Tip: Did you know that fatigue is one of the primary signs of dehydration? Because of its ability to move quickly throughout the body and directly to the brain, drinking water can give you the boost you need before a big meeting or when you’re on deadline and didn’t get as much shut-eye as you’d prefer. Natural caffeine? We’ll take it! 

This post was originally published on July 11, 2019, and has since been updated.

90,000 7 questions about why to drink water

Why does the body need water?

For life. On average, an adult body circulates about 5 liters of blood. Blood plasma is 92–95% water. Thanks to water, blood can perform its functions:

  • deliver nutrients to the cells of organs;
  • to bring oxygen from the lungs to tissues and return carbon dioxide to them;
  • to expel waste substances from internal organs through the kidneys;
  • provide homeostasis (constancy and balance of the internal environment): maintain temperature, water-salt balance, hormones and enzymes;
  • Protect the body: leukocytes and plasma proteins circulate in the blood, which are responsible for immunity.

If there is not enough water in the body, then the blood mass decreases, its viscosity increases. It is not easy for the heart to pump such blood. Premature wear of the heart muscle occurs, which leads to pathology up to myocardial infarction.

That is why, during active sports and high loads, the body needs more water.

Is it true that the lack of water hurts your head?

True. Even mild dehydration causes the brain to function worse.

More than 80 percent of the brain cells are water, and it is constantly washed by a fifth of all blood.Plus, the brain “bathes” in cerebrospinal fluid, which fills all the spaces in the spinal canal and cranium.

With water, oxygen and glucose are supplied to the brain, which are necessary for the generation of nerve impulses, that is, for nervous activity. Water removes metabolic products and toxins from the brain.

Therefore, if there is not enough fluid, dehydration (dehydration) of the brain occurs. And with it:

  • increased fatigue and absent-mindedness;
  • memory impairment;
  • slowing down the speed of mathematical calculations;
  • negative emotions.

Dehydration was found in people with autism, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. On the other hand, schoolchildren who drink water during the school day improve their performance.

What happens if I don’t drink enough water?

Your health will worsen. In addition to the headache, other unpleasant symptoms of dehydration from the digestive and excretory systems will appear.

The work of the stomach and intestines is impossible without water intake. And there are several explanations for this.Water ensures normal food digestion and absorption of nutrients from the intestines. If there is little water in the body, there will be discomfort in the abdomen and constipation.

The kidneys filter 150-170 liters of blood per day to produce 1.5 liters of urine. This means that for the normal elimination of toxins and waste substances, you need to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day, but preferably more.

With a lack of fluid, the filtration capacity of the kidneys deteriorates, they themselves can accumulate an excess of toxic substances.Against this background, various renal pathologies can occur. One of the main medical prescriptions for kidney pathology is the recommendation of an abundant drink to cleanse and restore function.

When do you need more water than usual?

When you want to have a baby. The basis of the seminal fluid is water. Thanks to her, the sperm goes in search of the egg, swimming through the woman’s reproductive pathways until conception occurs.

The new organism also spends all nine months in the aquatic environment.The amount of amniotic fluid increases with an increase in the size of the fetus, reaching 1,000 milliliters by birth. Waters support the fetus, protect it from infections, create conditions for growth and development.

During childbirth, water ensures normal dilatation of the cervix and contributes to the safe movement of the baby along the birth canal.

I never drink much. Will it somehow affect me?

You will most likely look worse as you get older.

Avicenna also noticed that old age is dryness.In order for the skin to perform its protective function, it must maintain turgor (elasticity and firmness). Then she will be able to withstand the hot sun, drying wind or low air temperatures.

Healthy skin is 25% water and becomes wrinkled when dehydrated. This means that to maintain her turgor, a daily intake of water is required. Better clean, slightly mineralized and free of gas.

To maintain the efficiency of the skin, it should receive at least 2 liters of clean water per day.

What other negative consequences does water shortage cause?

Even joints need water. If they are stiff, the person is deprived of freedom: he moves poorly and can hardly cope with matters. According to statistics, 30% of the population has joint diseases.

Joints are covered with cartilage tissue. It is the slippery elastic cartilage that provides the mobility of the bone joints. Water makes up 80% of the cartilage. In addition, the joint capsule surrounding each joint contains joint fluid for lubricating cartilaginous surfaces.With a lack of water, they are destroyed, causing severe pain to a person.

What if I am not thirsty?

While doing business, we sometimes do not notice that we are thirsty, and even confuse thirst and hunger, reaching for snacks when we just need to take a sip of water.

The best way to prevent dehydration and all its unpleasant consequences is to put a bottle or a cup of clean, low-mineralized water on the table and take a sip every time your gaze falls on the water.

If you understand that you are thirsty, then eliminate the thirst in time.And if not, a sip of clean water has not stopped anyone yet.

* According to research conducted by Zenithinternational (specialist consultants to the food and drink industries worldwide) in 2016
** Eden is Eden artesian water.

So how much water should you drink every day? And why?

  • Jessica Brown
  • BBC Future

Photo Credit, Getty Images

You often hear this advice: Drink plenty of water.And when you are tired, and when your skin is too dry … But this advice is very many years old. Does it have a scientific basis?

At the beginning of the 19th century, water was given to those who were near death. As the father of hydropathy (hydrotherapy) Vincenz Priessnitz wrote, only those who were on the verge of complete exhaustion were allowed to quench their thirst.

And they continue to bombard us with revelations that, they say, drinking a certain amount of liters of water a day, we open a secret door to excellent health. That it gives us more energy, makes our skin beautiful, helps in losing weight and avoiding cancer.

In London, those who use the underground every day are advised to always have a bottle of water with them. Schoolchildren are advised to bring water to class. And a rare office meeting is complete without a jug of water towering majestically in the center of the table.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Many believe that it is necessary to drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

The appetite for water is fueled by an unofficial rule: drink eight glasses (240 ml each) a day, which is in general, it gives a little less than two liters per day, and not counting any other drinks.

This “rule”, however, is not supported by scientific research – and neither the British nor the European Union’s official guidelines say that we should drink so much.

Where did it come from? Most likely from a misinterpretation of two different instructions drawn up decades ago.

In 1945, the American Food and Nutrition Commission of the National Research Council recommended that adults consume one milliliter of liquid for each recommended calorie of food – which equals two liters for women on a 2000 calorie diet and two and a half liters for men consuming 2500 calories. calories.

Let us emphasize: it was not just about water, but about any type of drinks. And also about fruits and vegetables, which consist of up to 98% of water.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

The recommendations that some are so fond of referring to, in fact, were not only about pure water.

Also, in 1974 in the book “Nutrition for Good Health “, written by nutritionists Margaret McWilliams and Frederick Stear, recommended that the average adult should drink six to eight glasses of water a day.

However, as the authors wrote, this could include fruits and vegetables, coffee and sodas. And even beer.

Hope for thirst

Of course, water is important. The human body consists of two-thirds of it. Water carries nutrients through it and removes toxins, regulates body temperature, acts as a lubricant and protects joints from excessive stress. It participates in most of the chemical reactions inside our body.

We constantly lose moisture by sweating, urinating, and breathing.Providing your body with enough water is the right task. Avoiding dehydration is very true.

The symptoms of dehydration appear when we lose 1-2% of the moisture in our body, and until we make up for this loss, our condition will worsen. In rare cases, this is even fatal.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

A healthy body with a feeling of thirst draws our attention to the threat of dehydration

Years of instilling in us the rule of eight glasses a day have led to what we believe: thirst means that our body is dangerously dehydrated.

However, most experts agree that we do not need more water than our body asks for – when it asks for it.

“Hydration control is one of the most complex mechanisms that the human body has evolved over the course of evolution. (..) We have a myriad of sophisticated tricks to maintain hydration levels,” says Irwin Rosenberg of the Tufts University Neurology and Aging Lab. in Massachusetts.

In a healthy body, the brain detects when the body begins to dehydrate and creates a feeling of thirst for us to start drinking.In addition, it sends a hormone into the body that signals the kidneys to retain moisture, increasing the concentration of urine.

“If you listen to your body, it will signal you to drink by itself,” says Courtney Kipps, Sports Consultant Physician and Educator and Medical Director of Triathlon competitions in London and Blenheim.

Photo by, BBC / Getty

Caption,

Water is the healthiest option, but tea, coffee and even alcoholic drinks can also help you stay hydrated.

Water does not contain extra calories, so it is the healthiest option, but other drinks also help hydration (including tea and coffee).

Drink to Health

There is little evidence that drinking more water than your body requires will provide any benefits and help you stay hydrated.

However, research suggests that there are some important benefits to preventing even the early stages of dehydration.

For example, several experiments have shown that drinking enough water to keep you from mild dehydration helps support brain function and our ability to perform simple tasks.

Several studies show that fluid intake can help fight obesity.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University professor Brenda Davey has done some research on this topic.

In one, she divided the participants into two groups. Both groups followed a healthy diet for three months, but one was asked to drink 500 ml of water half an hour before any meal. As a result, this drinking group lost more kilos than the other.

Members of both groups were also asked to strive to walk 10,000 steps a day, and those who drank the water did better.

Davey suggests that this was because mild dehydration (1-2%) is quite common, and many do not even feel it. But even this degree of dehydration can affect our mood and energy levels in the body.

But Barbara Rolls, professor of intensive care medicine at University College London, believes that any weight loss attributed to drinking water is likely to be due to plain water being substituted for sugary drinks.

“Drinking water by itself is quickly excreted from the stomach,” she notes. “But if you consume more water with food (such as soup), it helps to feel full, since in this case the water stays with food in the stomach longer. “.

Now about the effect of drinking water on the color and quality of your skin. There is no scientific evidence for the benefits here.

Is Too Much Bad?

Those of us who want to drink eight glasses a day will not hurt ourselves.But the belief that we need to drink even when the body does not send us the appropriate signals can lead us into dangerous territory.

Drinking too much fluid sometimes causes a decrease in the sodium concentration in the blood. This can lead to swelling of the brain and lungs as the body tries to restore sodium levels.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Many of us are often moderately dehydrated and do not notice it

Over the past ten years, Courtney Kipps has witnessed the death of at least 15 athletes from overhydration – this happened during sports competitions.

She believes that such cases are partly the result of our disbelief in our own body, in its ability to self-regulate.

“Nurses and doctors in hospitals can see patients who are severely dehydrated, who have been without water for a long time. But this is not at all what happens to marathon athletes,” she emphasizes.

Joanna Pakenham ran the 2018 London Marathon, the hottest in terms of weather. However, she simply does not remember most of the distance, since she drank so much water that she developed overhydration, hyponatremia.On the same day she was taken to the hospital.

“My girlfriend and my partner thought I was dehydrated and they gave me a huge glass of water to drink. I fainted, my heart stopped. I was taken by helicopter to the hospital and I was unconscious from Sunday evening until Tuesday.” – she recalls.

Photo author, BBC / Getty

Caption,

We rarely think about it, but too much fluid is also dangerous for the body

Pakenem, who plans to run the marathon again this year, says that the only advice that she heard from friends and read on the posters of the marathon, it was like – drink more water.

“All I had to do was take a few electrolyte tablets, which raise the sodium level in the blood,” she says.

“I want people to know that even something so simple can be deadly.”

So how much?

“The maximum that in the worst heat in the middle of the desert can leave the human body with sweat is two liters per hour, but this is very difficult to achieve,” says Hugh Montgomery, director of research at the Institute of Sports, Exercise and Health in London.

“As for the idea of ​​always carrying a half-liter bottle of water with you for a 20-minute ride on the London Underground, you never get so hot that you need all that water. Even if you run out of sweat in streams.”

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

The British National Health Service advises drinking six to eight glasses of liquid a day, including coffee or tea (but preferably unsweetened)

It is also important to remember that the mechanisms of thirst in our body after 60 years begin to lose sensitivity.

“As we age, our natural thirst mechanism becomes less sensitive. We are more susceptible to dehydration than when we are young. As we get older, we need to be more mindful of our fluid intake to stay hydrated,” says Davey. …

Most experts agree that our fluid needs depend on age, weight and gender – and on environmental conditions and levels of physical activity.

“One of the misconceptions of the eight-glass rule is to oversimplify how our bodies react to their environment,” says Rosenberg.

Most experts agree that we don’t have to worry so much about drinking randomly assigned amounts of water every day.

At the right time, our bodies will send us a signal in the form of a feeling of thirst. Just like they do it when we are hungry or tired.

The only thing that can be good for your health when you drink more water than you need is you use up extra calories by running to the toilet more often.

To read the original of this article in English, visit BBC Future .

Water for the health of the body | Polyclinic Medical Complex

We figure out how much fluid is needed for health.

You hear this advice a lot: Drink plenty of water. And when you are tired, and when your skin is too dry … But this advice is very many years old. Does it have a scientific basis?

At the beginning of the 19th century, water was given to those who were about to die. As the father of hydropathy (hydrotherapy) Vincenz Priessnitz wrote, only those who were on the verge of complete exhaustion were allowed to quench their thirst.

Many have never drunk more than half a pint (0.28 L) of regular water at a time, he added.
How things have changed … The adult population of the UK is consuming more water today than in previous years, and in the US, sales of bottled drinking water have overtaken sales of soda.

And we continue to be bombarded with revelations that, they say, drinking a certain amount of liters of water a day, we open a secret door to excellent health. That it gives us more energy, makes our skin beautiful, helps in losing weight and avoiding cancer.

In London, those who use the underground every day are advised to always have a bottle of water with them. Schoolchildren are advised to bring water to class. And a rare office meeting is complete without a jug of water towering majestically in the center of the table.

The appetite for water is fueled by an informal rule: drink eight glasses (240 ml each) a day, which in general gives a little less than two liters a day, and not counting any other drinks.

This “rule”, however, is not backed up by scientific research – and neither the British nor the European-wide official guidelines say that we should drink so much.

Where did it come from? Most likely from a misinterpretation of two different instructions drawn up decades ago.

In 1945, the American Food and Nutrition Commission of the National Research Council recommended that adults consume one milliliter of liquid for each recommended calorie of food – which equals two liters for women on a 2000 calorie diet and two and a half liters for men consuming 2500 calories. …

Let us emphasize: it was not just about water, but about any type of drink.And also about fruits and vegetables, which consist of up to 98% of water.

Additionally, in 1974, Nutrition for Good Health, by nutritionists Margaret McWilliams and Frederick Stear, recommended that the average adult should drink six to eight glasses of water a day.

However, as the authors wrote, this could include fruits and vegetables, coffee and sodas. And even beer.

We hope for thirst

Of course, water is important.The human body consists of two-thirds of it. Water carries nutrients through it and removes toxins, regulates body temperature, acts as a lubricant and protects joints from excessive stress. It participates in most of the chemical reactions inside our body.

We constantly lose moisture by sweating, urinating, and breathing. Providing your body with enough water is the right task. Avoiding dehydration is very true.
The symptoms of dehydration appear when we lose 1-2% of our body’s moisture, and until we make up for this loss, our condition will worsen.In rare cases, this is even fatal.

Years of indoctrinating us with the eight glasses a day rule have led us to believe that thirst means we are dangerously dehydrated.

However, most experts agree that we do not need more water than our body asks for – when it asks for it.

“Control over hydration is one of the most complex mechanisms that the human body has developed in the course of evolution. (..) We have a myriad of sophisticated tricks to keep you hydrated, ”says Irwin Rosenberg of the Tufts University Massachusetts Neurology and Aging Laboratory.

In a healthy body, the brain detects when the body begins to dehydrate and creates a feeling of thirst for us to start drinking. In addition, it sends a hormone into the body that signals the kidneys to retain moisture, increasing the concentration of urine.

“If you listen to your body, it will signal you to drink by itself,” says Courtney Kipps, sports consultant and trainer and medical director for triathlon competitions in London and Blenheim.

Water does not contain extra calories, so it is the healthiest option, but other drinks also help hydration (including tea and coffee).

Caffeine is a mild diuretic, but research shows that both coffee and tea (and alcoholic beverages) help hydration.

Drink to health

There is little evidence that drinking more water than your body requires will provide any benefit or help you stay hydrated.

However, research suggests that there are some important benefits to preventing even the early stages of dehydration.

For example, several experiments have shown that drinking enough water to keep you from mild dehydration helps support brain function and our ability to perform simple tasks.

Several studies have shown that fluid intake can help fight obesity.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University professor Brenda Davey has done some research on this topic.

In one, she divided the participants into two groups.Both groups followed a healthy diet for three months, but one was asked to drink 500 ml of water half an hour before any meal. As a result, this drinking group lost more kilos than the other.

Members of both groups were also asked to strive to walk 10,000 steps a day, and those who drank the water did better.

Davey suggests that this was because mild dehydration (1-2%) is quite common, and many do not even feel it.But even this degree of dehydration can affect our mood and energy levels in the body.

But Barbara Rolls, professor of intensive care medicine at University College London, believes that any weight loss attributed to drinking water is likely to be due to plain water being substituted for sugary drinks.

“Drinking water by itself is quickly excreted from the stomach,” she notes. “But if you consume more water with food (such as soup), it helps to feel full, as in this case the water stays with food in the stomach longer.”

Now about the effect of drinking water on the color and quality of your skin. There is no scientific evidence for the benefits here.

Is Too Much Bad?

Those of us who want to drink eight glasses a day won’t hurt ourselves. But the belief that we need to drink even when the body does not send us the appropriate signals can lead us into dangerous territory.

Drinking too much fluid sometimes causes a decrease in the sodium concentration in the blood.This can lead to swelling of the brain and lungs as the body tries to restore sodium levels.

Over the past ten years, Courtney Kipps has witnessed the death of at least 15 athletes from overhydration during a sporting event.

She believes that such cases are partly the result of our disbelief in our own body, in its ability to self-regulate.

“Nurses and doctors in hospitals can see severely dehydrated patients who have been without water for a long time.But this is not at all what happens to marathon athletes, ”she emphasizes.

Joanna Pakenham ran the 2018 London Marathon, the hottest in terms of weather. However, she simply does not remember most of the distance, since she drank so much water that she developed overhydration, hyponatremia. On the same day she was taken to the hospital.

“My friend and my partner thought I was dehydrated and gave me a huge glass of water to drink. I fainted, my heart stopped.I was transported by helicopter to the hospital, and I remained unconscious from Sunday evening until Tuesday, ”she recalls.

Pakenem, who plans to run the marathon again this year, says the only advice she heard from friends and read on posters for the marathon was to drink more water.

“All I had to do was take a few electrolyte tablets, which raises the sodium level in the blood,” she says. “I was a participant in several marathons, but I didn’t know that.”

“I want people to know that even something so simple can be deadly.”

So how much?

“The maximum that in the worst heat in the middle of the desert can leave the human body with sweat is two liters per hour, but this is very difficult to achieve,” says Hugh Montgomery, director of research at the Institute of Sports, Exercise and Health in London …

“As for the idea of ​​always carrying a half liter bottle of water with you for a 20 minute ride on the London Underground, you never get so hot that you need all that water.Even if the sweat flows from you in streams. ”

For those who feel more comfortable when the official guidelines are followed, here is the advice of the British National Health System: Drink six to eight glasses of liquid a day, including low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee.

In addition, it is important to remember that the mechanisms of thirst in our body begin to lose sensitivity after 60 years.

“As we age, our natural thirst mechanism becomes less sensitive.We are more prone to dehydration than we were when we were young. As we get older, we need to be more mindful of our fluid intake to stay hydrated, ”says Davey.

Most experts agree that our fluid needs depend on age, weight, and gender — and on environmental conditions and levels of physical activity.

“One of the misconceptions of the eight-glass rule is to oversimplify how our bodies react to their environment,” says Rosenberg.

Most experts agree that we don’t have to worry too much about drinking randomly assigned amounts of water every day.

At the right time, our bodies will send us a signal in the form of a feeling of thirst. Just like they do it when we are hungry or tired.

The only thing that can be beneficial to your health when you drink more water than you need is you use up extra calories by running to the toilet more often.

Source: https: // health.mail.ru/news/tak_skolko_zhe_vody_nado_vypivat_ezhednevno_i/

Published: April 18, 2019

46 REASONS TO DRINK WATER / State budgetary institution of health care of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug “Labytnang city hospital”

1. There is no life without water.
2. Lack of water first depresses and then kills some of the vital functions of the body.
3. Water is the main source of energy, the cash flow of the body.
4. Water generates electrical and magnetic energy inside every cell of the body – it gives the power to live.
5. Water is the binding material for the architectural design of the cell structure.
6. Water protects DNA from damage and increases the efficiency of its repair mechanisms – it reduces the number of abnormalities in the DNA.
7. Water significantly increases the effectiveness of the immune mechanism of the bone marrow, where the immune system (all of its mechanisms) is formed, including effective resistance to cancer.
8. Water is the main solvent for all types of food, vitamins and minerals. It breaks down food into small particles, supports the processes of metabolism and assimilation.
9. Water charges food with energy, after which food particles acquire the ability to transfer this energy to the body during digestion.
10. Water increases the body’s ability to assimilate vital substances contained in food.
11. Water provides the transport of all substances within the body.
12. Water enhances the ability of red blood cells to store oxygen in the lungs.
13. Without Water, breathing is impossible.
14. Water removes toxic waste from various parts of the body, delivers it to the liver and kidneys for final disposal.
15. Water – the main lubricant in the joints, helps prevent arthritis and lower back pain.
16. Water creates “cushioning water cushions” in the vertebral discs.
17. Water is the mildest laxative and the best remedy for constipation.
18. Water protects the arteries of the heart and brain from blockages.
19. Water helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
20. Water is an essential element of the cooling system (sweat) and heating (electrification) of the body.
21. Water is essential for the production of all hormones produced by the brain, including melatonin.
22. Water is essential for the efficient production of all neurotransmitters, including serotonin.
23. Water gives us electrical energy for all brain functions, primarily for thinking.
24. Water may prevent attention deficit disorders in children and adults.
25. Water increases efficiency, improves fixation of attention.
26. Water is the best tonic and has no side effects.
27. Water helps to relieve fatigue – it gives us the energy of youth.
28. Water restores sleep.
29. Water makes the skin smooth and helps to reduce the effects of aging.
30. Water helps relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
31. Water makes the eyes shine.
32. Water helps prevent glaucoma.
33. Water normalizes the hematopoietic systems of the bone marrow – it helps prevent leukemia and leukemia.
34. Water is absolutely essential to improve the effectiveness of the immune system in changing climatic conditions, as well as to fight infections and the formation of cancer cells.
35. Water thins the blood and prevents it from curdling during circulation.
36. Water reduces premenstrual pain and hot flashes (hot flashes during menopause).
37. Water and heart contractions thin the blood and create waves that prevent solids from settling on the walls of blood vessels.
38. The human body does not have water reserves that can support life in conditions of dehydration.
39. Dehydration stops the production of sex hormones and is one of the main causes of impotence and loss of sex drive.
40. Drinking water helps to distinguish between thirst and hunger.
41. Water is the best way to lose weight. Drink water on time and lose weight without special diets. In addition, you will not eat when you think you are hungry, but in fact you are just thirsty.
42. Dehydration is the cause of toxic deposits in the body. Water clears these deposits.
43. Water unites the functions of the brain and body, increasing the ability to achieve the ability of goals.
44. Water reduces bouts of morning vomiting in pregnant women.
45. Water helps prevent memory loss with aging, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s and Low Gehrig’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
46. Water helps to get rid of bad habits, including cravings for caffeine, drugs, alcohol.

DRINK WATER AND BE HEALTHY!
# national project demography89

Reasons to drink water every day

Needless to say that water is the basis of life for both people and the planet as a whole? However paradoxical it may be, the chemical compound h3O does not contain minerals and vitamins, but the beneficial properties of water have a beneficial effect on the body, and they can be enumerated indefinitely. To make it easier for you, we have identified 5 reasons why and how much you need to drink water to be beneficial.

1. How much water should you drink per day? One of the most frequently asked questions today. Research by scientists from Harvard University has shown that the average healthy person needs 1-1.5 liters of water per day, including tea, coffee and juices. If you need specifics, then for women the norm is 30 ml per 1 kg of body.

2. Headache from lack of water in the body. Yes, even mild dehydration slows down the brain. Moreover, if there is not enough fluid, brain dehydration occurs, which causes memory impairment, fatigue and absent-mindedness.

3. In order for the skin to withstand the low temperature of the air, the scorching sun, the drying wind and perform its protective function, it must maintain its firmness and elasticity. Dehydrated skin will quickly become wrinkled, which means that you need to take clean water without gas every day.

4. Want to cheer up? Drink a glass of water. It will not only provide lightness, but also prevent dehydration, which affects your mood.

5. 65% of the total body weight of a person consists of water, which takes part in the process of thermoregulation. Water regulates the cooling and overheating system of the body. By drinking a glass of water, your body temperature will always be normal.

90,000 How much water should you drink per day?

The normal functioning of the human body is possible only if certain conditions are followed, one of which is the observance of the correct drinking regime.It is very important to know exactly how you need to keep your body in optimal condition and how much water you need to drink per day to feel comfortable and healthy. Of particular importance is the intake of moisture for people who spend strength and energy on physical training or strive to lose weight.

At the same time, it is very important to understand that not any liquid is capable of performing the function of saturating cells with moisture. So, tea, coffee, juices, soups and other liquids cannot serve as an equivalent substitute for plain water.Only mineral water can partially replace ordinary water.

Why you need to drink water every day

Water is vital for humans and ranks second in importance after oxygen. This is explained very simply: the cells of the human body themselves contain liquid, so a lack of moisture can lead to problems with well-being. An adult who drinks the right amount of fluids per day feels great throughout the day.

If every day you drink less moisture than the physiological norm or drink only mineral water, juices, tea, then the body will begin to extract moisture from its own tissues and organs. It can cause various diseases:

– Pathologies of the thyroid gland and gastrointestinal tract;
– Disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system;
– Migraines;
– Joint pain;
– Disorders of the kidneys;
– Dry cough.

Lack of fluid can lead to diabetes, cancer and heart disease, and other negative consequences.

Main functions

So why does the human body in general need water and how much should a person drink per day?

Moisture intake on a daily basis and in sufficient quantities regulates metabolism, helps to lose weight and, in general, has a beneficial effect on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the consumption of a physiologically grounded rate leads to the following positive consequences:

– Cleansing the body of toxins;
– Improving the condition of the skin, hair, nails;
– Decreased appetite;
– Normalization of digestion;
– Elimination of headaches;
– Improving immunity.

Moisture regulates body temperature, cleanses blood vessels, participates in the formation of joint lubrication, and also improves the penetration of minerals and trace elements that enter the body with food. It is important to remember that in hot weather and during exercise, the body loses more moisture, which means it needs constant replenishment.

External signs of moisture deficiency in the body

For an adult, it is easy to determine whether he adheres to the drinking regime or neglects it.A person who does not drink the required amount of glasses of liquid per day has the following symptoms:

– Dry skin;
– Early wrinkles;
– Brittle nails;
– Falling hair.

If a person is still striving to lose weight and actively strains in training, then all these manifestations increase significantly.

On the part of general health, the lack of moisture is manifested by chronic fatigue, irritability, bad mood, etc. Undoubtedly, all these symptoms can be caused by other factors, however, it is the misunderstanding of how many glasses of water you need to drink per day to maintain health, is the most common reason that causes them.

How much should you drink

The amount of moisture that a person needs to drink per day is determined by several factors, including:

– Body weight, height, weight, age;
– The level of physical and mental stress;
– Ambient temperature.

About 2-2.5 liters of moisture leave the body of an adult per day. Fluid is lost during urination, during breathing, and sweat – especially during active physical training.It is very important to constantly saturate the body, i.e. consume as much of it as he loses. And if some of the moisture is formed using the biochemistry of the body, then the remaining about 60% of the person should drink on their own.

The norm for an adult’s body is determined based on all these factors. At the same time, according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, any person should drink at least 2 liters per day.

How to calculate the amount of water per day

The more accurately the rate of fluid required by the body per day is calculated, the more benefits a person will receive.The needs of each organism are individual. How to calculate how many glasses of liquid you need? For this, there are special formulas:

– For men – 35 ml * body weight;
– For women – 31 ml * body weight.

It turns out that men need to consume 0.035 liters of water per 1 kg of body weight, and women – 0.031 liters.

For example, in order to correctly calculate how much liquid a girl weighing 60 kg needs to drink per day, you need 60 * 0.031 = 1.86 liters. If physical activity is increased, then another 500 ml must be added to this volume.

When and how to drink correctly

There are several rules, observing which you can talk about the correct drinking regime:

– Drinking water is better than room temperature.
– The first glass must be drunk before breakfast.
– In the afternoon, the amount of fluid consumed must be reduced. During bedtime, its amount should generally be minimal.
– To lose weight faster if you feel hungry, you can drink clean warm water, and only then have a snack.
– Do not drink more than 400-500 ml of liquid at a time.
– It is important to consider fluid intake in the diet.
– It is best to consult with your trainer regarding fluid intake before, after and during your workout.
– It is not advisable to consume any drinks with food. This habit leads to stretching of the walls of the stomach. Better to wait about half an hour.
– Give up soda. Even mineral water is not the best way to lose weight or regain strength.
– Give preference to moisture that has not been subject to any processing, including thermal.

A person’s desire to drink persistently shows that the body requires fluid replenishment. You should not abuse it so as not to harm your own health. You need to drink as soon as you feel thirsty. It helps to restore water balance in the body, prevents various diseases and promotes the supply of amino acids to muscle cells.

90,000 Can you drink tap water in Germany? | Germany Information and Travel Tips | DW

“Drinking water is a human right, essential for a fulfilling life and the exercise of all other rights,” says a 2010 United Nations document.

On average, every German citizen consumes about 120 liters of water every day. Since the early 1990s, this figure has decreased by about twenty liters. Of the daily volume, only two to three liters is spent on cooking and quenching your thirst. Approximately forty liters for the shower and toilet, seventeen liters for the wash. The rest is spent on watering the gardens, burghers washing their “most beloved children” – cars, as well as other needs.

Water is a valuable natural resource

Germany is one of the countries (so far) not experiencing a shortage of this natural resource.Now only 17 percent of the total available drinking water is used here – mainly from ground and artesian sources. They account for about 70 percent. This is followed by lakes and reservoirs – 12 percent.

There is a lot of water in Germany, but the last record dry years already make you seriously think about a stable water supply in the future. A cubic meter of cold tap water costs an average of two euros in Germany, that is, 0.2 cents per liter. However, prices vary from region to region.

Who is in charge of the water?

Can you drink tap water in Germany? Yes. On this, in principle, it would be possible to end the article. Tap water is one of the most strictly controlled and safe food items here. Many Germans take this common statement as a kind of axiom – not without a certain amount of pride.

Water supply is a state task, utilities are responsible for it. Even hints of the possible creation of a legal basis for the privatization of this sector in the EU countries cause an unequivocally negative reaction in Germany – both among the country’s residents and among politicians.

The control is carried out on the basis of a special legal act – the Ordinance for the preparation of drinking water (Trinkwasserverordnung). You can safely drink tap water. Before entering the system, it undergoes filtration, cleaning and constant monitoring. Wells, reservoirs and water protection zones are also strictly controlled. Problems may arise in the last meters, but more on that later.

According to a study by the Federal Association of Public Utilities, 83 percent of people in Germany are satisfied with the quality of their tap water.92 percent are confident that it is not dangerous. Complaints are associated in most cases with a high content of calcium and magnesium salts, as well as iron, but this is a matter of taste, not safety.

Sources of danger

Real problems can arise in some old houses – where there are still lead pipes, which were discontinued in Germany in 1973. In such houses, they must be replaced if the current norm is exceeded – 0.01 mg of lead per liter.A laboratory test for the presence of heavy metals in water costs about 50 euros.

A separate topic is nitrates that get into groundwater as a result of fertilizing fields with manure. The problem has become aggravated with the increase in the number of large livestock farms of an industrial type, which need to somehow get rid of this manure. Moreover, this problem has become aggravated not only in Germany, but also in the neighboring Netherlands, from where Dutch manure is transported for disposal to German federal states across the border.The Germans who own the fields receive money for this. Disposal of one cubic meter, including transportation and intermediate storage, can now reach 25 euros.

When more manure is poured onto the fields than the plants need, nitrates seep into the groundwater. To remove them from drinking water, special additional filters are needed. Many water companies are forced to purchase new equipment for this, which leads to higher tariffs. Legislators have already reacted to the problem.In June 2017, a new regulation on the rules for fertilizing fields came into force in Germany, aimed at reducing the level of harmful substances in the soil.

The largest reservoir in Germany. Photo gallery

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    Before us is one of the most famous alpine regions in Germany. To the right on the mountain slope in the Schwangau region is the fairytale castle of the Bavarian king Ludwig II Neuschwanstein, barely noticeable in this picture … one of the local lakes is Forggensee.

  • Forggensee – Germany’s largest reservoir

    Forggensee is the fifth largest lake in Bavaria and the largest reservoir in Germany in terms of area, with an area of ​​up to 16 square kilometers – depending on the filling. Named after one of the flooded settlements – Forggen farm.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    The first plans to build a reservoir in these places appeared at the end of the 19th century, then they were considered again between the two world wars, but were only implemented in the 1950s.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    Initially, they wanted to make the water level a few meters higher, but then a lot of people would have to be relocated, not to mention the loss of agricultural land. Ultimately, about 250 people and a dozen peasant farmsteads moved to new places in the neighborhood.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    The figures of saints from the flooded chapel were transported here to the baroque church of St. Coloman, erected here at the end of the 17th century.The Neuschwanstein Castle is visible behind it.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    The Forggensee reservoir performs several functions at once. First, there is a hydroelectric power station on the dam.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    Secondly, the water from here is used for other hydroelectric power plants located on the Lech River – in fact, it is a feeding reservoir.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    Thirdly, during the melting snow in the mountains and heavy summer rains, it serves to protect the areas downstream from flooding.However, this photo was taken on a calm autumn day …

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    Fourthly, during the summer months such a large artificial lake located in such a popular tourist region is of course used for recreation and activities different types of water sports. For example, several yacht schools are open here.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    There are campsites on the banks, and from the pier in Füssen on the lake you can go on an excursion on one of the local pleasure boats, though …

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir – Germany

    … However, swimming, fishing, yachting and boating are not possible here all year round, since in winter the water is almost completely drained in order to prepare for the beginning of the next snow melting season.

  • Forggensee – Germany’s largest reservoir

    By the beginning of June, enough water is accumulated to start pleasure cruises on the lake on two tourist boats – “Allgäu” and “Füssen” – until October 15th. In turn, this photo shows one of the yacht marinas.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    An exception was 2018, when the Forggensee was not filled due to the planned repair of the dam.So tourists could walk along the bottom of the lake not only in winter, but all summer long. However, now the water has returned … so to speak, into place.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    In the winter months, walking along the bottom of the lake, you can see not only the foundations of flooded houses, but also traces of the ancient Roman road Via Claudia Augusta. This photo was taken in early December 2017, when the water was not completely drained.

  • Forggensee – the largest reservoir in Germany

    We will briefly leave the water element and see how paragliders fly over these places.They often circle here. Below in the valley lies the city of Füssen, through which the road to the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau passes.

  • Forggensee – Germany’s largest reservoir

    See the beautiful view of the lake from the Marienbrücke bridge! However, we remember that during the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle the Forggensee reservoir did not exist yet …

  • Forggensee is the largest reservoir in Germany it is a romantic place to build your fabulous residence.However, in the vicinity of the castle there are also three beautiful natural lakes – Alpsee, Schwansee and Banwaldsee.

    Author: Maxim Nelyubin

A few words about Legionella. These bacteria can cause a particularly severe form of pneumonia, and they multiply and thrive under certain conditions in warm water. That is why the owners of residential real estate rented in Germany are obliged to regularly test for the presence of these bacteria in the water supply and heating systems, but we will not go into these details here.

Near the fountains and in some other places in Germany you can see signs with a crossed-out faucet and the inscription “Kein Trinkwasser”. This means that the water here is technical, not intended for drinking.

From a tap or from a bottle?

So, the Germans can calmly quench their thirst with tap water both at home and at work. By the way, this is why there is no requirement in German labor law obliging employers to provide employees with drinking water.However, no matter how much you supply a German with tap water, he still looks at bottled mineral water!

The list of all mineral waters bottled at various German sources exceeds 800 items. If you set yourself the task of trying one variety a day, then the entire assortment will take more than two years.

The faster you can cope with the medicinal mineral waters, which are now on the market – three and a half dozen. They are rigorously tested and certified in accordance with drug laws.

See also:
Tap water in Germany

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