Water is essential for life
The miracle that is water which is more often overlooked and underrated. It is an essential element to all life on earth .Vital to all living beings whether animal or plant; we are all highly dependent on this precious resource. Without a doubt it is one of the most undervalued natural resources that we possess on this planet and it is priceless in our existence. Water is central to our wellbeing aside from quenching thirst drinking the right amount of clean water is beneficial to our overall health in countless ways.
Water is the main component of the human body and makes up between 50-75% of body weight. It extremely important in aiding digestion, flushing out waste and toxins, lubricating the joints and organs such as the eyes, keeping the skin in good health, stabilizing body temperature, helping normal kidney function, aiding in building and repairing cells, helping to carry nutrients in the blood, assisting the efficient metabolism of all nutrients and metabolising nutrients efficiently amongst other functions.
Signs of dehydration
Symptoms of being dehydrated can be mild, moderate and severe, dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it intakes, this upsets the natural balance of minerals (salt and sugar) in the body which affects the way it functions.
Urination, defecation, breathing, sweating and vomiting all can cause fluid lose and lead to dehydration.
Early signs of dehydration are the obvious ones thirst and dark coloured urine other symptoms may include:
- Dry mouth, lips and eyes
- Tiredness/ fatigue
- Dizziness or light-headed
- Dry skin
When dehydration is ongoing (chronic) it can cause a detrimental effect on kidney function increasing the risk of kidney stones, and can lead to muscle damage. Signs of severe dehydration may require medical attention:
- Not passing urine for eight hours
- Weak pulse
- Rapid pulse
- Fits (seizures)
- Low level of consciousness
- Dizziness when you stand up that doesn’t disappear after a few seconds
- Feeling lethargic or confused
Water requirements vary from person to person plus their environment such as temperature, humidity, altitude, pregnancy/ breastfeeding and physical activity, all of these facts will influence the requirement for water. A easy indication to determine whether you are consuming adequate amount of fluid is by the colour of the urine, lighter/clear colour being the well hydrated this is what you should be aiming for ideally, the darker the colour of the urine tends to indicate dehydration, this tends to happen first thing in the morning also note that taking vitamin and multivitamin supplements may change the colour of the urine.
Diabetes, Prescription drugs, working out, Alcohol and Caffeine all can affect hydration.
It’s highly important to make sure we drink enough fluids and to stay hydrated all the time, especially with summer around the corner and temperatures rising, there are a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables that you can also incorporate into your diet that contain an extremely high water content which can also help keep you well hydrated.
Cucumbers 97% water
Celery 96% water
Iceberg lettuce 96% water
Tomatoes 95% water
Red, yellow, green peppers 92-93% water
Watermelon 92% water
Infused water combos
If you’re not a fan of plain water and think it’s a bit boring Infused waters are a great idea since they are refreshing, they help flush out toxins and can aid in weight loss.
So instead of grabbing a can of fizzy drink next time you’re thirsty maybe try jazzing up your water by giving these combinations a whirl. Enjoy.
Orange & kiwi
Raspberry & mint
Lemon & cucumber
Strawberry & basil
Blueberry & lime