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Why is water important to humans. 16 Essential Reasons Water is Crucial for Human Health and Well-being

How does water impact overall health. Why is hydration vital for bodily functions. What are the consequences of dehydration. How much water should you drink daily. Can water help with weight loss.

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The Vital Role of Water in Human Biology

Water is an indispensable component of the human body, comprising a significant portion of our body weight and playing a crucial role in numerous physiological processes. But why exactly is water so important for our health and well-being?

The human body relies on water for a multitude of functions, from regulating body temperature to flushing out toxins. While we obtain most of our water through drinking, a small portion also comes from the food we consume. Understanding the importance of proper hydration is key to maintaining optimal health.

Water’s Contribution to Body Composition

Did you know that water makes up about 60% of an adult’s body weight? This high percentage underscores the critical role water plays in our physiological makeup. Every cell, tissue, and organ in our body requires water to function properly.

  • Brain: 73% water
  • Lungs: 83% water
  • Skin: 64% water
  • Muscles and kidneys: 79% water
  • Bones: 31% water

These percentages highlight the pervasive presence of water throughout our body systems, emphasizing its importance in maintaining overall health.

Saliva Production and Oral Health

One of the primary functions of water in our body is its role in saliva production. Saliva is not just water; it’s a complex fluid that contains electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. But why is saliva so important?

Saliva plays a crucial role in maintaining oral health and initiating the digestive process. It helps break down solid food, making it easier to swallow and digest. Moreover, saliva has antimicrobial properties that help protect against oral infections.

The Impact of Dehydration on Saliva Production

When the body is dehydrated, saliva production can decrease significantly. This reduction can lead to various oral health issues, including:

  • Dry mouth (xerostomia)
  • Increased risk of tooth decay
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Bad breath

While age and certain medications can affect saliva production, maintaining adequate hydration is a simple yet effective way to support oral health.

Temperature Regulation and Hydration

Our body’s ability to regulate temperature is intricately linked to hydration levels. How does water help maintain body temperature?

When we’re exposed to heat or engage in physical activity, our body produces sweat to cool down. This process, known as thermoregulation, relies heavily on adequate hydration. As sweat evaporates from our skin, it takes heat with it, effectively lowering our body temperature.

The Dangers of Dehydration During Physical Activity

During intense physical activity or in hot environments, we can lose a significant amount of water through sweat. If this water isn’t replenished, it can lead to dehydration, which has several negative consequences:

  • Increased heart rate
  • Decreased blood volume
  • Electrolyte imbalance
  • Impaired cognitive function
  • Decreased physical performance

Athletes, in particular, need to be vigilant about their hydration status. They can lose up to 6-10% of their body weight in water during intense physical activity, which can severely impact their performance and health.

Joint Lubrication and Spinal Health

Water plays a crucial role in maintaining joint health and spinal cord function. But how exactly does hydration affect our joints and spine?

Proper hydration helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This lubrication is essential for smooth joint movement and can help alleviate discomfort caused by conditions such as arthritis. The spinal discs, which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae, are also highly dependent on proper hydration to maintain their shape and function.

The Impact of Dehydration on Joint Health

When the body is dehydrated, it can have several negative effects on joint health:

  • Increased friction between joint surfaces
  • Reduced shock-absorbing ability of joints
  • Increased risk of inflammation
  • Exacerbation of arthritic symptoms

By maintaining proper hydration, you can help ensure that your joints remain well-lubricated and functioning optimally, potentially reducing the risk of joint-related issues as you age.

Water’s Role in Waste Elimination

One of the most crucial functions of water in the human body is its role in waste elimination. How does water help our body get rid of waste products?

Water is essential for three primary waste elimination processes: sweating, urination, and bowel movements. Each of these processes relies on adequate hydration to function effectively.

Sweating: More Than Just Cooling

While we primarily associate sweating with temperature regulation, it also serves as a means of eliminating waste products from the body. Sweat contains small amounts of urea, salt, and other waste products. Proper hydration ensures that your body can produce enough sweat to serve both its cooling and waste elimination functions.

Urination: Flushing Out Toxins

The kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste products from our blood, which are then eliminated through urine. Adequate water intake helps the kidneys function more efficiently, potentially reducing the risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Bowel Movements: Preventing Constipation

Water is crucial for maintaining healthy bowel movements. It helps soften stool and promotes regular bowel movements, preventing constipation. When combined with adequate fiber intake, proper hydration can significantly improve digestive health.

Hydration and Athletic Performance

For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, proper hydration is not just important—it’s crucial for performance and safety. How does water intake affect athletic performance?

Hydration directly impacts an athlete’s strength, power, and endurance. During intense physical activity, the body can lose a significant amount of water through sweat, which needs to be replenished to maintain performance levels.

The Dangers of Dehydration in Sports

Dehydration can have severe consequences for athletes, particularly those participating in endurance events or high-intensity sports. Some of the risks include:

  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Hyperthermia (overheating)
  • Reduced cognitive function
  • Muscle cramps
  • In extreme cases, seizures or even death

To prevent these risks, athletes should have a hydration strategy that includes drinking water before, during, and after physical activity. The amount of water needed can vary based on factors such as the intensity of the activity, environmental conditions, and individual sweat rates.

Water’s Impact on Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

Contrary to some myths, drinking water before, during, and after meals can actually aid in digestion. But how exactly does water help with the digestive process?

Water plays a crucial role in breaking down food, making it easier for your body to absorb nutrients. It helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food, allowing them to be more readily absorbed in the intestines.

The Role of Water in Different Stages of Digestion

  1. Mouth: Water helps moisten food, making it easier to chew and swallow.
  2. Stomach: Water aids in the production of stomach acid, which is necessary for breaking down food.
  3. Small Intestine: Water is crucial for absorbing nutrients from digested food.
  4. Large Intestine: Proper hydration helps prevent constipation by softening stool.

Research has shown that the body adapts to changes in food and stomach content consistency, whether more solid or more liquid. This adaptability ensures that drinking water with meals doesn’t interfere with digestion, but rather aids it.

Hydration and Weight Management

While not a magic solution for weight loss, proper hydration can play a significant role in weight management. How can drinking water contribute to maintaining a healthy weight?

Studies have linked increased water intake with body fat and weight loss, particularly in overweight individuals. This effect may be due to several factors:

  • Increased feeling of fullness, potentially reducing calorie intake
  • Boosted metabolism, leading to increased calorie burning
  • Replacement of high-calorie beverages with zero-calorie water
  • Improved exercise performance, allowing for more effective workouts

One study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water boosted the metabolic rate by 30% in both men and women, with effects lasting over an hour. While more research is needed, these findings suggest that proper hydration could be a valuable tool in weight management strategies.

Water vs. Other Beverages for Weight Management

When it comes to weight management, not all beverages are created equal. Water has several advantages over other drinks:

  • Zero calories
  • No added sugars or artificial sweeteners
  • Doesn’t stimulate insulin production
  • Helps flush out toxins

Replacing high-calorie beverages like sodas, juices, or alcoholic drinks with water can significantly reduce daily calorie intake, potentially aiding in weight loss or maintenance.

Water’s Role in Disease Prevention

Adequate hydration is not just about quenching thirst—it’s a crucial factor in preventing various health conditions. Which diseases can proper hydration help prevent?

Research has shown that maintaining proper hydration can help prevent or manage several health issues:

  • Kidney stones: Adequate water intake dilutes urine, reducing the risk of stone formation.
  • Urinary tract infections: Frequent urination helps flush out bacteria from the urinary system.
  • Constipation: Water softens stool and promotes regular bowel movements.
  • Hypertension: Proper hydration helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
  • Exercise-induced asthma: Staying hydrated can help reduce the risk of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

While water isn’t a cure-all, it plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and can be an important part of disease prevention strategies.

Hydration and Heart Health

Proper hydration is particularly important for heart health. How does water intake affect cardiovascular function?

Adequate hydration helps maintain healthy blood volume and circulation, which are crucial for optimal heart function. When you’re well-hydrated:

  • Your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your body
  • Your blood can more easily transport oxygen and nutrients to your cells
  • Your body can more effectively regulate blood pressure

These factors contribute to overall cardiovascular health and may help reduce the risk of heart-related issues.

Cognitive Function and Hydration

The impact of hydration extends beyond physical health—it also plays a crucial role in cognitive function. How does water intake affect our brain performance?

Research indicates that even mild dehydration can negatively impact cognitive abilities, including:

  • Focus and concentration
  • Short-term memory
  • Alertness
  • Mood

When the body is dehydrated, blood volume decreases, which can reduce blood flow to the brain. This reduction in blood flow can lead to cognitive impairments and mood disturbances.

Hydration and Mental Health

The link between hydration and mental health is an area of growing research interest. Studies have suggested that dehydration can contribute to:

  • Increased feelings of anxiety
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability and mood swings

While proper hydration alone isn’t a cure for mental health issues, it can be an important factor in maintaining overall mental well-being and cognitive function.

Optimal Hydration: How Much Water Do You Need?

While we’ve established the importance of staying hydrated, a common question remains: How much water should you drink daily?

The amount of water an individual needs can vary based on several factors, including:

  • Age and gender
  • Climate and environment
  • Physical activity level
  • Overall health status
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding status

The often-cited recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses (about 2 liters) of water per day is a good starting point for many adults. However, some individuals may need more or less depending on their specific circumstances.

Signs of Adequate Hydration

Instead of focusing solely on a specific quantity of water, it’s helpful to pay attention to your body’s signals of hydration status. Signs of good hydration include:

  • Pale yellow urine
  • Regular urination (4-6 times per day for most adults)
  • Feeling energetic and alert
  • Elastic skin that quickly returns to its original position when pinched

If you’re experiencing dark urine, infrequent urination, fatigue, or dry skin, these could be signs that you need to increase your water intake.

Strategies for Staying Hydrated

Maintaining proper hydration doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are some strategies to help you stay hydrated throughout the day:

  • Carry a reusable water bottle with you
  • Set reminders on your phone to drink water regularly
  • Eat water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables
  • Flavor your water with fresh fruits or herbs if you find plain water unappealing
  • Drink a glass of water with each meal
  • Monitor your urine color as a quick hydration check

Remember, while water is the best choice for hydration, other beverages and water-rich foods can also contribute to your daily fluid intake.

16 Reasons Why Water Is Important to Human Health

Water makes up a majority of your body weight and is involved in many important functions. This includes flushing out waste from your body, regulating your body temperature, and helping your brain function.

You get most of your water from drinking beverages, but food also contributes a small amount to your daily water intake.

It’s common to hear that water is essential for your health. But why?

Read on to learn more ways water can help improve your well-being.

Water is a main component of saliva. Saliva also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. It’s essential for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy.

Your body generally produces enough saliva with regular fluid intake. However, your saliva production may decrease as a result of age or certain medications or therapies.

If your mouth is drier than usual and increasing your water intake isn’t helping, see your doctor.

Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining your body temperature. Your body loses water through sweat during physical activity and in hot environments.

Your sweat keeps your body cool, but your body temperature will rise if you don’t replenish the water you lose. That’s because your body loses electrolytes and plasma when it’s dehydrated.

If you’re sweating more than usual, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and lessen discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.

Your body uses water to sweat, urinate, and have bowel movements.

Sweat regulates body temperature when you’re exercising or in warm temperatures. You need water to replenish the lost fluid from sweat.

You also need enough water in your system to have healthy stool and avoid constipation.

Your kidneys are also important for filtering out waste through urination. Adequate water intake helps your kidneys work more efficiently and helps to prevent kidney stones.

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Drinking plenty of water during physical activity is essential. Athletes may perspire up to 6 to 10 percent of body weight during physical activity.

Hydration also affects your strength, power, and endurance.

You may be more susceptible to the effects of dehydration if you’re participating in endurance training or high-intensity sports such as basketball.

Negative effects of exercise in the heat without enough water can include serious medical conditions, like decreased blood pressure and hyperthermia. Extreme dehydration can cause seizures and even death.

Eating fiber isn’t the only way to prevent constipation. It’s also important to maintain your water intake so your bowel movements contain enough water.

If you don’t consume enough water, magnesium, and fiber, you may be more likely to experience constipation.

If you’re already constipated, you may find that drinking carbonated water as well as plain water can help ease your symptoms.

Contrary to what some believe, experts confirm drinking water before, during, and after a meal will help your body break down the food you eat more easily. This will help you digest food more effectively and get the most out of your meals.

Research shows the body adapts to changes in the consistency of food and stomach contents, whether more solid or more liquid.

In addition to helping with food breakdown, water also helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use.

Studies have linked body fat and weight loss with drinking water in both overweight girls and women. Drinking more water while dieting and exercising may just help you lose extra pounds.

Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health.

Drinking enough water can help prevent certain medical conditions. These include:

  • constipation
  • kidney stones
  • exercise-induced asthma
  • urinary tract infection
  • hypertension

Water also helps you absorb important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food, which will increase your chances of staying healthy.

Drinking water may activate your metabolism. A boost in metabolism has been associated with a positive impact on energy level.

One study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water boosted the metabolic rate by 30 percent in both men and women. These effects appeared to last over an hour.

Proper hydration is key to staying in tip-top cognitive shape. Research indicates that not drinking enough water can negatively impact your focus, alertness, and short-term memory.

Not getting enough water can also affect your mood. Dehydration may result in fatigue and confusion as well as anxiety.

Adequate water intake will help keep your skin hydrated and may promote collagen production. However, water intake alone isn’t enough to reduce the effects of aging. This process is also connected to your genes and overall sun protection.

Dehydration is the result of your body not having enough water. And because water is imperative to so many bodily functions, dehydration can be very dangerous.

Severe dehydration can result in a number of severe complications, including:

  • swelling in your brain
  • kidney failure
  • seizures

Make sure you drink enough water to make up for what’s lost through sweat, urination, and bowel movements to avoid dehydration.

Being attentive to the amount of water you drink each day is important for optimal health. Most people drink when they’re thirsty, which helps regulate daily water intake.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, general water intake (from all beverages and foods) that meet most people’s needs are:

  • about 15.5 cups of water (125 ounces) each day for men
  • about 11. 5 cups (91 ounces) daily for women

People get about 20 percent of their daily water intake from food. The rest is dependent on drinking water and water-based beverages. So, ideally men would consume about 100 ounces (3.0 liters) of water from beverages, and women, about 73 ounces (2.12 liters) from beverages.

You’ll have to increase your water intake if you’re exercising or living in a hotter region to avoid dehydration.

Other ways to assess hydration include your thirst and the color of your urine. Feeling thirsty indicates your body is not receiving adequate hydration. Urine that is dark or colored indicates dehydration. Pale or non-colored urine typically indicates proper hydration.

Water is important to nearly every part of your body. Not only will hitting your daily recommended intake help you maintain your current state of being, it may even improve your overall health.

Here are some ideas for how you can be sure you drink enough:

  • Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. This way you can drink whenever the need strikes.
  • Keep track of your intake. Aim to take in optimum amounts every day, a minimum of half your body weight in ounces.
  • Pace yourself to approach half of your recommended consumption by midday. You can always finish about an hour before you plan to sleep.

16 Reasons Why Water Is Important to Human Health

Water makes up a majority of your body weight and is involved in many important functions. This includes flushing out waste from your body, regulating your body temperature, and helping your brain function.

You get most of your water from drinking beverages, but food also contributes a small amount to your daily water intake.

It’s common to hear that water is essential for your health. But why?

Read on to learn more ways water can help improve your well-being.

Water is a main component of saliva. Saliva also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. It’s essential for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy.

Your body generally produces enough saliva with regular fluid intake. However, your saliva production may decrease as a result of age or certain medications or therapies.

If your mouth is drier than usual and increasing your water intake isn’t helping, see your doctor.

Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining your body temperature. Your body loses water through sweat during physical activity and in hot environments.

Your sweat keeps your body cool, but your body temperature will rise if you don’t replenish the water you lose. That’s because your body loses electrolytes and plasma when it’s dehydrated.

If you’re sweating more than usual, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and lessen discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.

Your body uses water to sweat, urinate, and have bowel movements.

Sweat regulates body temperature when you’re exercising or in warm temperatures. You need water to replenish the lost fluid from sweat.

You also need enough water in your system to have healthy stool and avoid constipation.

Your kidneys are also important for filtering out waste through urination. Adequate water intake helps your kidneys work more efficiently and helps to prevent kidney stones.

Share on Pinterest

Drinking plenty of water during physical activity is essential. Athletes may perspire up to 6 to 10 percent of body weight during physical activity.

Hydration also affects your strength, power, and endurance.

You may be more susceptible to the effects of dehydration if you’re participating in endurance training or high-intensity sports such as basketball.

Negative effects of exercise in the heat without enough water can include serious medical conditions, like decreased blood pressure and hyperthermia. Extreme dehydration can cause seizures and even death.

Eating fiber isn’t the only way to prevent constipation. It’s also important to maintain your water intake so your bowel movements contain enough water.

If you don’t consume enough water, magnesium, and fiber, you may be more likely to experience constipation.

If you’re already constipated, you may find that drinking carbonated water as well as plain water can help ease your symptoms.

Contrary to what some believe, experts confirm drinking water before, during, and after a meal will help your body break down the food you eat more easily. This will help you digest food more effectively and get the most out of your meals.

Research shows the body adapts to changes in the consistency of food and stomach contents, whether more solid or more liquid.

In addition to helping with food breakdown, water also helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use.

Studies have linked body fat and weight loss with drinking water in both overweight girls and women. Drinking more water while dieting and exercising may just help you lose extra pounds.

Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health.

Drinking enough water can help prevent certain medical conditions. These include:

  • constipation
  • kidney stones
  • exercise-induced asthma
  • urinary tract infection
  • hypertension

Water also helps you absorb important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food, which will increase your chances of staying healthy.

Drinking water may activate your metabolism. A boost in metabolism has been associated with a positive impact on energy level.

One study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water boosted the metabolic rate by 30 percent in both men and women. These effects appeared to last over an hour.

Proper hydration is key to staying in tip-top cognitive shape. Research indicates that not drinking enough water can negatively impact your focus, alertness, and short-term memory.

Not getting enough water can also affect your mood. Dehydration may result in fatigue and confusion as well as anxiety.

Adequate water intake will help keep your skin hydrated and may promote collagen production. However, water intake alone isn’t enough to reduce the effects of aging. This process is also connected to your genes and overall sun protection.

Dehydration is the result of your body not having enough water. And because water is imperative to so many bodily functions, dehydration can be very dangerous.

Severe dehydration can result in a number of severe complications, including:

  • swelling in your brain
  • kidney failure
  • seizures

Make sure you drink enough water to make up for what’s lost through sweat, urination, and bowel movements to avoid dehydration.

Being attentive to the amount of water you drink each day is important for optimal health. Most people drink when they’re thirsty, which helps regulate daily water intake.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, general water intake (from all beverages and foods) that meet most people’s needs are:

  • about 15.5 cups of water (125 ounces) each day for men
  • about 11.5 cups (91 ounces) daily for women

People get about 20 percent of their daily water intake from food. The rest is dependent on drinking water and water-based beverages. So, ideally men would consume about 100 ounces (3.0 liters) of water from beverages, and women, about 73 ounces (2.12 liters) from beverages.

You’ll have to increase your water intake if you’re exercising or living in a hotter region to avoid dehydration.

Other ways to assess hydration include your thirst and the color of your urine. Feeling thirsty indicates your body is not receiving adequate hydration. Urine that is dark or colored indicates dehydration. Pale or non-colored urine typically indicates proper hydration.

Water is important to nearly every part of your body. Not only will hitting your daily recommended intake help you maintain your current state of being, it may even improve your overall health.

Here are some ideas for how you can be sure you drink enough:

  • Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. This way you can drink whenever the need strikes.
  • Keep track of your intake. Aim to take in optimum amounts every day, a minimum of half your body weight in ounces.
  • Pace yourself to approach half of your recommended consumption by midday. You can always finish about an hour before you plan to sleep.

Why water is important for humans • Read on our blog!

Life in nature and the functioning of our body systems cannot exist without water. It delivers nutrients and useful microelements to the cells of our body, helps to remove toxins and waste. Our body is more than half water:

  • embryo: up to 97%
  • newborn: 80%
  • middle-aged man: 70%
  • female: 65%
  • older man over 60: 55%
  • woman over 60: 50%.

The less water in our body, the older we look.

Functions of water in the human body

  • stimulates cell metabolism
  • dissolves nutrients and detoxifies
  • prolongs the work of the joints and participates in the formation of lubrication for them
  • thins the blood and helps other body fluids work
  • is responsible for the thermoregulation of the body, does not allow sudden changes in temperature
  • pure and healthy water saturates the body with useful minerals.

If you follow the correct drinking regimen, our body will start to work better:

  • metabolic processes are accelerated by 20%, that is, fats will be broken down and excreted more than accumulated
  • the body receives microelements important for health: magnesium, calcium, fluorine, etc.
  • you will eat less and drink sugary drinks, respectively, get fewer calories if you drink more water
  • edema disappears, because fluid stops accumulating in tissues
  • maintains efficiency and well-being, unlike those who are on strict diets.

The dangers of insufficient water intake and dehydration

Our blood is 90% water. When dehydrated, the amount of blood decreases, it becomes thicker and circulates worse. This leads to pressure problems. The blood does not reach the capillaries and the body sucks moisture from the extracellular fluid, then from the cells. Metabolic processes slow down, then the skin and muscles are dehydrated.

When weight loss due to dehydration reaches 10%, serious health problems begin. Loss of 20% of weight is fatal for a person. This usually happens if a person is deprived of water for 3-6 days. Therefore, it is so important to maintain optimal water balance for health.

Symptoms of thirst

  • strong desire to drink water
  • light coating on the tongue
  • sensation of dry mouth
  • pungent odor of sweat and urine
  • discoloration of urine
  • edema

The feeling of thirst has age characteristics. Children are always thirsty when they need water, adults sometimes lose their sense of thirst. This is even more common in older people. Often people confuse thirst with hunger and eat instead of drinking a glass of water.

How to teach babies to drink water instead of sugary drinks

  • get a separate bottle for water, preferably a beautiful one with funny pictures that the child likes. She should always be near him so that he can get her at any moment
  • dilute juices and sweetened water with water if the child is used to them
  • take only water with you for a walk
  • gradually accustom the baby to proper nutrition: first courses, fruits and vegetables saturated with water.

5 useful tips for adults

  1. drink a glass of clean water at room temperature in the morning on an empty stomach – this will help you wake up and “start” the digestive system
  2. always carry a bottle of water with you, especially in summer
  3. calculate the required amount of water: up to 40 ml/kg of body weight
  4. drink more during illness, up to 60 ml/kg body weight
  5. drink in small portions, but regularly throughout the day.

What parameters of water affect its quality and our health

The term pH refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions in water and its level of acidity or alkalinity. The lower the number, the greater the percentage of acidity of water, the higher – the more alkaline it is. Water with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH ranging from 7 to 7.5 is considered optimal for human health. The pH of such water is identical to the pH of blood (7.4).

Water with an optimal pH level helps to maintain the balance of acids and alkalis in body tissues. Violation of this indicator is fraught with health problems.

Improper nutrition can also lead to this. Below is a list of products, the abuse of which leads to acidification of the body:

  • fish, meat, seafood
  • sweet soda
  • sweets
  • yeast bread and pastries
  • nuts and cereals.

The surface tension of water shows the intensity of the adhesion of molecules. The PN of water in the cells of the human body is 43 dynes/cm. The higher this figure is the PN indicator, the worse the cells of the body absorb water.

Minerals that high-quality and healthy water should contain

  • calcium supports bone and muscle tissue, stimulates the heart, nervous system and is responsible for good blood clotting
  • magnesium is also responsible for the cardiovascular system, metabolism and breakdown of fats, lowers cholesterol
  • sodium maintains pH and blood pressure
  • Potassium paired with sodium helps to maintain optimal pH levels, helps brain and heart function, improves blood pressure
  • manganese strengthens bones, helps the nervous and reproductive systems, stimulates the production of insulin. Manganese in our body is much less than other minerals, and exceeding the norm is dangerous to health, especially in pregnant women
  • iron is a very important element. It affects the level of hemoglobin, DNA and the functioning of the respiratory system
  • chlorine is involved in the regulation of pH levels, is responsible for muscle tone and bone strength, the work of the digestive tract.

What kind of water is better to drink

Tap water is taken from rivers, purified and disinfected with chlorine and supplied to homes. However, such water is not always safe or all the more useful. The pipes through which it enters our apartments are often old, colonies of microorganisms often appear on their walls, and all this gets into our cups and teapots. Therefore, drinking such water without boiling, settling or filtering is not worth it.

Tap water is often acidic and has a high surface tension. Therefore, it is poorly absorbed by the cells of the body and acidifies it.

Mineral water is extracted from natural sources. It contains many different salts and trace elements. They saturate the water while passing through the layers of the earth. According to the concentration of trace elements, mineral water is divided into 3 types:

  • canteen . The smallest mineralization: less than 1 g/l. It will help to recover from poisoning or intestinal infection. It can be drunk without restrictions. However, table mineral water does not replace ordinary drinking water. Children under 12 can drink it only after a doctor’s permission
  • medical table , salt concentration from 1 to 8 g/l. Such water is often drunk as prescribed by a doctor and in certain doses. If you drink it constantly and uncontrollably, it will cause an excessive concentration of salts and minerals in the body, worsen your well-being and can cause illness
  • medical , mineralization over 8 g/l. By its properties, this water is closer to drugs, it has indications for use in the treatment of specific diseases, side effects and contraindications. It is drunk only on the recommendation of a doctor. Drinking it uncontrollably is the same as swallowing pills in handfuls, and not in the right doses.

Filtered water . Those who do not want to risk drinking tap water often buy home filters. They are divided into 2 main types: flow and jug.

Filters purify water from harmful impurities and improve its quality. Some types of filters even mineralize purified water. But here, not everything is as simple as we would like:

  • for effective cleaning, you need to know the composition of the water and the substances that you need to get rid of. These data are given only by a specialized laboratory after water analysis. For which, by the way, you have to pay. Only after that the filter is selected specifically for this water. How many of us are willing to spend time and money on these checks and analyzes?
  • All filter models require regular replacement of the cartridge (jug type) or inserts (in-line filters). It is advisable to do this ahead of schedule, otherwise the water quality will deteriorate
  • fully purified water is safe for health. But along with dangerous impurities and trace elements, filters often remove the necessary salts and minerals. That is, this water is safe, but also useless for health
  • Artificial mineralization is not as useful as natural mineralization. Useful substances from such water are absorbed worse. During mineralization, the filter membrane allows chlorine back into the water. It can stimulate the development of cancer.

Well water used to be clean and safe. Now iron impurities, sulfates and dangerous microorganisms are found in it, because it comes out of the surface layers contaminated with human waste.

Melt water is considered very useful. Freezing and thawing changes the molecular structure of water and gives it unique properties. It is often written that it stimulates metabolism, brain function and muscle tone, lowers cholesterol levels.

However, melt water is only useful if it comes from environmentally friendly sources. In urban conditions, even if you take only the top layer of melt water, harmful impurities and toxins will still remain in it.

bottled water comes from springs, artesian wells, and even from conventional water sources. Tap water is subjected to maximum treatment. It is purified from impurities and toxins, artificially mineralized.

Spring water used to be considered clean and safe. Today the situation has changed. If the spring is located within the city limits, harmful substances from industrial waste, fertilizers, etc. can get into the water from the ground. Therefore, it is important to carefully read the information on the label.

Water from artesian springs is subject to minimal treatment. Therefore, it is safe and useful, because. preserves a set of useful minerals and microelements given by nature. Information about its composition is always given on the label. You will know what you get with water.

If your health and the health of your loved ones is important to you, pay attention to water indicators and choose clean and healthy water.

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delivery from 2 bottles
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Water in human life

Filters for home and cottage

Water – at first glance, the simplest chemical compound of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom – is, without any exaggeration, the basis of life on Earth. It is no coincidence that scientists in search of life forms on other planets of the solar system direct so much effort to detect traces of water.

In our daily life, we are constantly exposed to water. At the same time, paraphrasing a song from an old movie, we can say that we “drink water” and “pour water”. We will talk about these two aspects of human use of water.

Food water

Household water

Food water

Water itself has no nutritional value, but it is an indispensable part of all living things. Plants contain up to 90% water, while the body of an adult consists of about 60 – 65% of it. Looking into the details, it can be noted that the bones contain 22% water, the brain 75%, while the blood consists of as much as 92%.

The primary role of water in the life of all living beings, including humans, is due to the fact that it is a universal solvent for a huge number of chemicals. Those. in fact, it is the environment in which all life processes take place.

Here is just a small and far from complete list of the “duties” of water in our body.

Water:

  1. Regulates body temperature.

  2. Humidifies the air.

  3. Provides delivery of nutrients and oxygen to all cells of the body.

  4. Protects and buffers vital organs.

  5. Helps convert food into energy.

  6. Helps nutrients to be absorbed by the organs.

  7. Removes toxins and waste from life processes.

A certain and constant water content is a necessary condition for the existence of a living organism. When the amount of water consumed and its salt composition change, the processes of digestion and assimilation of food, hematopoiesis, etc. are disrupted. Without water, it is impossible to regulate the body’s heat exchange with the environment and maintain body temperature.

A person is extremely acutely aware of the change in the water content in his body and can live without it for only a few days. With a loss of water in an amount of less than 2% of body weight (1-1.5 l), a feeling of thirst appears, with a loss of 6-8%, a fainting state occurs, with 10% – hallucinations, swallowing disorders. Loss of 10-20% of water is life threatening. Animals die when they lose 20-25% of water.

Excessive consumption of water leads to an overload of the cardiovascular system, causes debilitating sweating, accompanied by a loss of salts, weakens the body.

Depending on the intensity of work, external conditions (including climate), cultural traditions, a person in total (with food) consumes from 2 to 4 liters of water per day and the same amount of water is excreted from the body (for more details, see “Drinking regime and the balance of water in the body” and the article “To drink or not to drink – that is the question” from the magazine “Health” in our “Digest”). The average daily consumption is about 2-2.5 liters. It is from these figures that the World Health Organization (WHO) proceeds when developing recommendations for water quality (See “Water quality parameters”).

Of no small importance is the mineral composition of water. For constant drinking and cooking, fresh water with a total mineralization of up to 0.5 – 1 g / l is suitable. Although, of course, in limited quantities it is possible (and sometimes even useful, for example, for medicinal purposes) to use mineral water with a high salt content (for information on which water is “suitable” for which diseases, see the article “Each disease has its own water” in our Digest “). The human body quickly adapts to changes in the salt composition of drinking water. However, the process of getting used to takes some time. Therefore, with a sharp (and even more frequent) change in the characteristics of water, disturbances in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, popularly known as “travelers’ disease”, are possible.

In general, the mass media pays a lot of attention to the question of what useful substances and in what quantities should be contained in water. This problem is really very important, but, unfortunately, there is too much speculation and profanity around it.

Even very reputable publications allow themselves to somewhat irresponsibly publish information such as: “a person receives up to 25% of useful minerals from water” and other, to put it mildly, information that does not quite correspond to reality. A classic of the genre “I heard a ringing, but I don’t know where it is” – the article “Capital Water …” by Mrs. Ekaterina Bychkova in “AiF-Moscow” No. 37’99.

Our point of view on this issue can be found in the section “Water and useful minerals”.

We also recommend a series of articles from the magazine “Health”: “To drink or not to drink – that is the question”, “To each illness its own water”, “Five facts about water that you did not know”, as well as materials “Both heals and cripples” and “Stone Waterfall”, also presented in our “Digest”.

Household water

It is well known that the use of water for household purposes in Russia is far from rational (we tactfully keep silent about industry for lack of reliable data). There are two main reasons:

  1. Abundance of water resources.

  2. Their cheapness.

In its issue of August 31, 1999, devoted to the problems of water, the magazine “Itogi” provided visual data characterizing these two parameters and their relationship.

It can be seen that the cheaper water is in this or that country, the more generously it is poured. It is also not surprising that in Russia, where until recent years there was no practice of installing water metering devices for each apartment, there are no reliable statistics on water consumption in everyday life.

Therefore, we will use published English data from the mid-80s. Of course, in the UK, the daily water consumption per capita was already at that time 140 l / day, and in our country it is still around 400 l / day, but the data collected by the meticulous British is so interesting that we should study it and take note . In any case, the market economy dictates its own laws, it is likely that soon water will rise in price and the thriftiness of the aforementioned Englishmen will no longer seem unreasonable to us.

So. According to English data /15/:

The main item of household water consumption is the toilet. The “gentle contralto of the water-tank instrument” is responsible for 35% of water consumption per capita per day (50 liters). Next comes personal hygiene (bathing and showering, washing, etc.) – 32% of consumption (45 l), laundry – 12% (17 l), washing dishes – 10% (14 l), drinking and cooking – 3% (4 l), other expenses (pets, watering flowers, etc.) – 8% (11 l).

It is clear that these figures are averaged and reduced to one day (for example, a person takes a bath and does not wash every day). However, they also provide food for thought and comparisons with our reality.

It is unlikely that we eat much more than the same British and, accordingly, we spend on cooking also somewhere between 4 – 4. 5 liters per capita per day. Forgive us for such a conclusion, but it directly follows from the previous one that we should not use the toilet more often (or are there other opinions?). Considering that we have a single European standard for drain tanks, this gives the same 50 liters.

By the way, the meticulous British calculated that a family of two adults and three children on average uses the toilet 25-40 times a day. If there is a habit of flushing leftover food and other waste down the toilet, then the number of “descents” even in a family of 4 people can reach 60. Here, by the way, one should look for the origins of the now fashionable in Europe (especially in Scandinavia) ecological initiative “Give a brick in the toilet bowl!”. In addition to jokes, they put a brick in the tank, thus reducing the volume of water in it by almost 2 liters. Multiply by the number of flushes per day and get the “net” savings. And if we are talking about such an interesting area of ​​​​human life as a toilet, then the future is generally behind vacuum units (similar to those installed in airplanes), which consume only 1 (one) liter of water per session.

But let’s get back to our sheep. We also venture to suggest that in terms of the level of automation of washing, we still reached the level of England 15 years ago, and for this purpose the average per capita consumption is 17 liters.

Where, then, as our first president used to say, “the dog rummaged”? Why do we use twice as much water?

To do this, let’s see what items of water consumption are left: personal hygiene, washing dishes, and so on. Here, perhaps, lies the solution. It’s not that we bathed more and washed the dishes more thoroughly. The difference is rather that we do not have the habit of turning off the faucet when, for example, we brush our teeth, and we also wash dishes in running water. It would seem – a trifle, but keep in mind that 10-15 liters of water flow out through an open tap per minute. And the second powerful “reserve” is the “Other” position. The fact is that “they” in this section practically do not have such an article as leaks. It’s just that life makes them quickly repair the current plumbing – not only water flows, money flows. We can justifiably assert that in our conditions the lion’s share of leaks occurs precisely in houses, so to speak, already “after the meter”. And that’s why.

The British pay great attention to leaks, but for the reasons stated above, their main leaks occur in the municipal water supply network. In Moscow, according to experts, 15-16% of water is also lost between the water intake station and the apartment (see the article “Moscow Water Drinkers”, magazine “Itogi”, 08.31.99). And now, attention, the most important thing. It’s not that bad, but just a great result! In England, losses average 25%, and their experts, recognizing the inevitability of leaks, believe that a realistically achievable result to which one should strive for leaks is 15%. Which, as they say, was required to be proved. Honor and praise to Mosvodokanal. We suspect, however, that the average situation in the country is rather closer to the English one.

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