Drinking Water As Part Of Healthy Eating Is Paramount

Water is an essential part of healthy eating. I often hear people say water is good because it doesn’t contain any calories. That may be true, but it is not the point! Water, in the body, is a medium of transport carrying nutrients, electrolytes, blood gases, waste materials and heat throughout the body.

Water makes up about 90% of blood and about two thirds of a healthy adult human’s body weight. Because the body is constantly losing water in sweat, faeces, urine and through breathing, one needs to top up the water levels when they go below normal. To maintain a stable water balance water intake should equal water loss. The body has a way of telling one when one needs to rehydrate – the thirst mechanism. Up to two litres, which equates to about eight glasses, of water is usually sufficient to maintain a good water balance. Note, here I’m using the word “water” loosely to refer to both pure plane water as well as other fluids that one may drink throughout the day. The other fluids could be juices, smoothies, teas and coffee. Note, however, that caffeine and alcohol have diuretic properties, and will cause one to lose more water, as urine. Therefore, it is pertinent that one drinks other non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic fluids to avoid dehydration. Some of the water is provided by food, in general.

Dehydration is when the normal water balance of one’s body is disturbed, in that there isn’t enough water for the body to perform at optimum and efficient levels. This in turn disturbs the balance of electrolytes in the body fluids, ultimately leading to illness. Some of the signs that one is dehydrated or getting rehydrated are:

It is clear that the reason water is so important is not because it has no calories. It is involved in the body’s chemical reactions that keep the body alive and performing efficiently. Shall I just say, “water is life”? Water is nature’s medicine. How many times have you heard the doctor say, “rest and drink loads of fluids and you’ll be good in time!”?Water is also very important for healthy skin. You may be able to save on those expensive anti-wrinkle and anti-aging skin treatments, if you drink water regularly and sensibly.

To help one maintain adequate water intake it may be beneficial to have a bottle of water or juice by one’s side, to sip throughout the day. This is especially pertinent during illness, hot weather or during exercise, when water loss may be rapid. This sounds simple, because it is. And it works too!