How
much water do you need a day?
Water
is an important structural component
of skin cartilage, tissues and organs.
For human beings, every part of the
body is dependent on water. Our body
comprises about 75% water: the brain
has 85%, blood is 90%, muscles are
75%, kidney is 82% and bones are 22%
water. The functions of our glands
and organs will eventually deteriorate
if they are not nourished with good,
clean water.
The
average adult loses about 2.5 litres
water daily through perspiration,
breathing and elimination. Symptoms
of the body's deterioration begins
to appear when the body loses 5% of
its total water volume. In a healthy
adult, this is seen as fatigue and
general discomfort, whereas for an
infant, it can be dehydrating. In
an elderly person, a 5% water loss
causes the body chemistry to become
abnormal, especially if the percentage
of electrolytes is overbalanced with
sodium.One can usually see symptoms
of aging, such as wrinkles, lethargy
and even disorientation. Continuous
water loss over time will speed up
aging as well as increase risks of
diseases.
If
your body is not sufficiently hydrated,
the cells will draw water from your
bloodstream, which will make your
heart work harder. At the same time,
the kidneys cannot purify blood effectively.
When this happens, some of the kidney's
workload is passed on to the liver
and other organs, which may cause
them to be severely stressed. Additionally,
you may develop a number of minor
health conditions such as constipation,
dry and itchy skin, acne, nosebleeds,
urinary tract infection, coughs, sneezing,
sinus pressure, and headaches.
So,
how much water is enough for you?
The minimum amount of water you need
depends on your body weight. A more
accurate calculation, is to drink
an ounce of water for every two pounds
of body weight.
Click
here for the calculation of the
minimum amount of water your
body weight needs per day. |
