It?s been dinned into us since as long as we can remember ? that drinking water is good for health. There are many reasons for this belief that might not be substantiated, but what we do know are the following: That 60% of our body weight is water. We need it to flush toxins out of our system, regulate body temperature, carry nutrients to the organs, transport oxygen to the cells, lubricate joints and so forth. ?Water makes up more than 75% of our brain, 80% of our blood, and 70% of lean muscle,? says Sharon Arora, chief dietician, G M
Modi hospital.
So how much water should one drink? A review of clinical studies has found no evidence leading to the ?eight glasses a day? rule, whose origin remains unknown. The researchers, in the June issue of The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology say some studies have found evidence that drinking extra water helps the kidneys clear sodium, and long-term sodium retention may increase the risk of hypertension. But there?s no clinical evidence of the phenomenon. Water also helps clear urea, but urea is not a toxin. ?Under normal circumstances,? says Dr Stanley Goldfarb, co-author of the research paper, ?drinking extra water is unnecessary.?
So, how does one decide? ?There?s no prescription for the body. Just listen to your body and drink whenever you feel thirsty. However, you?ll have to be conscious about your water intake if you, like most people, are working in an air-conditioned office,? says Dr Rupali Datta, chief dietician at Fortis Healthcare, New Delhi.
Scientifically, our body needs about two litres (eight glasses) of fluids each day and up to three litres in summer, she adds. Tea, coffee, juices, soup and so forth figure in this category. But water has no substitute. When you are tired and exhausted for no apparent reason, a glass of water can rejuvenate your body like no juice, tea or coffee can. Also, keep an eye on your child?s water intake as well, says Datta. One, their thirst mechanism isn?t fully developed at a young age and two, children usually are physically more active than adults.
Similarly, people who follow a fitness regime must have at least half a litre of extra water for every hour of activity. ?People who work out must double their intake of water to compensate for the amount of salt and water lost with sweat. Fitness drinks are even better because they replenish the sodium content in the body,? says Nitin Vedi, fitness trainer with Revital gym.
Inadequate water intake can lead to dehydration, but having it in excess is even more fatal. A condition known as hyponatremia may afflict those who just don?t know when to keep that glass of water down. The excessive water dilutes the sodium in the body and may result in something as mild as fatigue or even nausea, vomiting, bloating and dizziness.
On the other hand, too little of it can lead to the problem of dehydration and water retention. ?Even 2% drop in our body?s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration,? adds Arora. In the case of latter, the body is tricked into believing that there?s a spell of drought and it acts by storing every drop of water that it can to counter the shortage. Result: bloated hands, feet and face.
Water?s cholesterol-free, has zero calories, and is easily available. And trust the experts when they say you?ll ?soon be assured that it?s the best way to start your day.? And if you are particularly averse to the taste of water try having your fill through fruits and vegetables like watermelon and tomatoes that are almost 90% water. Skimmed milk and juices are equally good options but definitely not substitutes.
