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Wellness And Water Intake
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Water is the most common substance on Earth. It is also the nutrient most needed by the human body. Between 55 and 75 percent of adult body weight is water (about 10 to 12 gallons). It is critical in regulating body temperature and organ functions as well as dissolving solids and moving nutrients throughout the body.
Research has shown that proper hydration may help to alleviate chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, lower back strain, migraines, and colitis. It can also help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Water is naturally low in sodium, has no fat, cholesterol or caffeine and isn't flushed straight through the body, as are most other beverages.
It is recommended that the normal adult drink eight 8-ounce. glasses of water each day. The average person consumes only six 8-ounce servings of water daily. This is well below the recommended eight servings. How much is really needed depends on body size, activity level and air temperature.
To determine one's ideal daily water intake, experts at the Mayo Clinic suggest dividing body weight in half and using this number as the ounces of water one should consume. Based on this formula, a 125-pound person should consume the recommended eight servings of water each day; however, someone who weighs 175 pounds should strive for eleven servings.
Humans lose a pint or more of water every day simply by breathing! We normally lose a total of about 10 cups of fluid a day in exhaled air, perspiration, and other bodily secretions. What is lost must be replaced to maintain a fluid balance. If one is physically active, the American Dietetic Association recommends adding one to three cups of water to the daily intake for each hour of physical activity.
A variety of other factors also affect the amount of water needed. Among them:
The body tends to dehydrate while traveling, particularly on airplanes. An additional 8 oz. of water per hour is suggested.
Exposure to summer heat requires additional water. The body uses a great deal of water through skin-cooling perspiration.
Exposure to winter cold also requires additional water. The body loses water while breathing cold air. This is because while laboring to breathe, water is evaporating from the lungs.
Illness can often lead to dehydration. That's why doctors frequently advise patients to drink plenty of liquids.
Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body. Coffee and tea should always have a water chaser.
During vigorous exercise, one can lose fluid reserves before he is aware of thirst. During exercise, it's recommended that fluids be replenished every 20 minutes. One should also drink plenty of water before and after exercise. Thirst is not always an adequate indicator of the body's need for fluid replenishment.
Nursing mothers need more water for breast milk. Because what they drink is distributed throughout not only their body but also their child's, expectant mothers should additional water daily. Once the baby is born, breast-feeding mothers should be sure to continue replenishing water lost through nursing.
Smoking can also have a dehydrating effect. The chemicals in tobacco cause blood vessels to temporarily constrict, a reaction similar to dehydration. When dehydration and smoking are combined, the body's need for water is intensified. Smoking also accelerates how quickly the body metabolizes caffeine and, as a result, it aggravates caffeine's dehydrating effect on the body
Age brings vulnerability to the effects of dehydration. As people grow older, their kidney functions may decrease, their thirst signals may become dulled, their overall activity level declines, and their bodies retain less water. Older people also tend to take more prescription drugs that can dehydrate their bodies. For these reasons, people over 70 should drink at least the recommended number of water servings per day
Active, school-age children tend to dehydrate even more quickly and should be encouraged to drink an 8-ounce serving of water before heading out to play as well as once every 20-30 minutes during play (especially if it's hot outside). Since infants can't always express thirst, the best way to monitor their hydration level is by checking their diaper, which should require frequent changes throughout the day.
One of the best ways to recognize dehydration is to pay close attention to the color of one's urine. Ideally, light to clear urine indicates proper water intake.
The first sign of dehydration may be a headachy feeling at the end of the day.
Because the brain is made up of 75% water, moderate dehydration can often cause lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches and nausea. More severe dehydration may also raise the body's core temperature, effect muscle strength, endurance and coordination as well as increase the risk of cramps, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.
There are a number of ways to integrate more water into your lifestyle.
Pour the water into an easy-to-use water bottle. Add ice, and a slice of lemon or lime. Chill the water. Drink moderate-size portions spread over the course of a day, rather than drinking it all at one time.
Keep a bottle of water on the kitchen counter. Visit the office water cooler, and take a water break instead of a coffee break.
Make drinking water a habit - drinking water at the same times each day will make it much easier.
Don't wait for thirst to replenish water. By the time it develops, 2 or more cups of total body water have probably been lost.
Carrying a bottle of water on the morning commute or keeping a cup of water at one's desk can contribute to proper hydration.
source unknown
Water is the most common substance on Earth. It is also the nutrient most needed by the human body. Between 55 and 75 percent of adult body weight is water (about 10 to 12 gallons). It is critical in regulating body temperature and organ functions as well as dissolving solids and moving nutrients throughout the body.
Research has shown that proper hydration may help to alleviate chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, lower back strain, migraines, and colitis. It can also help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Water is naturally low in sodium, has no fat, cholesterol or caffeine and isn't flushed straight through the body, as are most other beverages.
It is recommended that the normal adult drink eight 8-ounce. glasses of water each day. The average person consumes only six 8-ounce servings of water daily. This is well below the recommended eight servings. How much is really needed depends on body size, activity level and air temperature.
To determine one's ideal daily water intake, experts at the Mayo Clinic suggest dividing body weight in half and using this number as the ounces of water one should consume. Based on this formula, a 125-pound person should consume the recommended eight servings of water each day; however, someone who weighs 175 pounds should strive for eleven servings.
Humans lose a pint or more of water every day simply by breathing! We normally lose a total of about 10 cups of fluid a day in exhaled air, perspiration, and other bodily secretions. What is lost must be replaced to maintain a fluid balance. If one is physically active, the American Dietetic Association recommends adding one to three cups of water to the daily intake for each hour of physical activity.
A variety of other factors also affect the amount of water needed. Among them:
The body tends to dehydrate while traveling, particularly on airplanes. An additional 8 oz. of water per hour is suggested.
Exposure to summer heat requires additional water. The body uses a great deal of water through skin-cooling perspiration.
Exposure to winter cold also requires additional water. The body loses water while breathing cold air. This is because while laboring to breathe, water is evaporating from the lungs.
Illness can often lead to dehydration. That's why doctors frequently advise patients to drink plenty of liquids.
Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body. Coffee and tea should always have a water chaser.
During vigorous exercise, one can lose fluid reserves before he is aware of thirst. During exercise, it's recommended that fluids be replenished every 20 minutes. One should also drink plenty of water before and after exercise. Thirst is not always an adequate indicator of the body's need for fluid replenishment.
Nursing mothers need more water for breast milk. Because what they drink is distributed throughout not only their body but also their child's, expectant mothers should additional water daily. Once the baby is born, breast-feeding mothers should be sure to continue replenishing water lost through nursing.
Smoking can also have a dehydrating effect. The chemicals in tobacco cause blood vessels to temporarily constrict, a reaction similar to dehydration. When dehydration and smoking are combined, the body's need for water is intensified. Smoking also accelerates how quickly the body metabolizes caffeine and, as a result, it aggravates caffeine's dehydrating effect on the body
Age brings vulnerability to the effects of dehydration. As people grow older, their kidney functions may decrease, their thirst signals may become dulled, their overall activity level declines, and their bodies retain less water. Older people also tend to take more prescription drugs that can dehydrate their bodies. For these reasons, people over 70 should drink at least the recommended number of water servings per day
Active, school-age children tend to dehydrate even more quickly and should be encouraged to drink an 8-ounce serving of water before heading out to play as well as once every 20-30 minutes during play (especially if it's hot outside). Since infants can't always express thirst, the best way to monitor their hydration level is by checking their diaper, which should require frequent changes throughout the day.
One of the best ways to recognize dehydration is to pay close attention to the color of one's urine. Ideally, light to clear urine indicates proper water intake.
The first sign of dehydration may be a headachy feeling at the end of the day.
Because the brain is made up of 75% water, moderate dehydration can often cause lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches and nausea. More severe dehydration may also raise the body's core temperature, effect muscle strength, endurance and coordination as well as increase the risk of cramps, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.
There are a number of ways to integrate more water into your lifestyle.
Pour the water into an easy-to-use water bottle. Add ice, and a slice of lemon or lime. Chill the water. Drink moderate-size portions spread over the course of a day, rather than drinking it all at one time.
Keep a bottle of water on the kitchen counter. Visit the office water cooler, and take a water break instead of a coffee break.
Make drinking water a habit - drinking water at the same times each day will make it much easier.
Don't wait for thirst to replenish water. By the time it develops, 2 or more cups of total body water have probably been lost.
Carrying a bottle of water on the morning commute or keeping a cup of water at one's desk can contribute to proper hydration.
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