THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER

Are you adequately hydrated? Drinking water does more than just quench your thirst. It’s essential to keeping your body functioning properly and feeling healthy. Water makes up to 60% of your body weight, approximately three-quarters of the volume of your brain, and around 90% of the volume of your blood.

Here are just a few examples of the ways water works in your body:

• Regulates body temperature

• Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth

• Protects body organs and tissues

• Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells

• Lubricates joints

• Lessens burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products

• Dissolves minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body

You’re constantly losing water during the day through urine, sweat and exhaled breath, so it’s important to replace this fluid.

The earliest signs of dehydration show themselves in effects on your brain like lack of concentration, poor alertness, headaches, fatigue and even confusion, e s pecially in older people.

HOW DO I KNOW I’M DRINKING ENOUGH?

Your water requirement is totally individual to you because it depends on your age, gender, body size, activity level, metabolism, the temperature of your environment and the amount of water contained in the food you eat.

The best indicator of good hydration is urine colour, a pale straw-coloured urine being a reliable indicator of good hydration.

Getting into the habit of drinking regularly is a great way of keeping hydrated. Keep a refillable glass bottle nearby so you remember to drink regularly throughout the day.

Good health starts with proper hydration.