Human beings can survive without food for about thirty to forty days – about five weeks – but without water their life will end in about three to five days. The average person body is made up of approximately 70% water although the water content varies from person to person and from one body part to another.
The body water supply is responsible for and is involved in nearly every body process:
• Digestion
• Absorption
• Circulation
• Excretion
Water is:
• Primary transporter of nutrients throughout the body and necessary for all building functions in the body
• Helping in the maintenance of normal body temperature
• Important in carrying waste material out of the body, therefore it is important to replace the water that is constantly being lost when we sweat and eliminate
• Essential to help lubricate the joints
• Essential in helping the lung tissue to keep moist, to facilitate oxygen intake and carbon dioxide excretion, water is essential for breathing. Approximately one pint of water is lost each day through exhaling.
A drop in the water content in the body causes a decline in blood volume. The lowering on the blood volume triggers the hypothalamus, which is the brain’s thirst center, to send out a demand for a drink. This also causes a rise in the concentration of sodium in the blood and the built up of toxins in the body system.
When you do not drink enough water, you become dehydrated. As we age we have a lesser reserve of water in the body so it is important that we drink enough water even when we do not feel thirsty. Drinking water can also help to control overeating, as thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger.
Drinking quality water can be very beneficial for virtually all disorders know to humankind, helping to prevent or improve conditions like:
• Bowel and bladder problems. Helps with constipation
• Headaches can be reduced by drinking water
• Flush out toxins in the body system
• Anxiety attacks
• Food intolerances, “acid stomach”, and heartburn
• Colitis pain
• Hot flashes
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis, muscle soreness
• Slowing the aging process
• Kidney stones
• Arteriosclerosis
• Obesity, excessive body fat
• Glaucoma and cataracts
• Diabetes and hypoglycemia
Without adequate water, we would poison ourselves with our own metabolic wastes. The kidneys remove waste products such as uric acid, urea, and lactic acid, all of which must be dissolved in water. If there is not enough water available in the body to dissolve these substances that can damage the kidneys. If you do not take in enough water to maintain fluid balance, every bodily function can be impaired. The more active you are, the more water you must consume to keep your body’s water level in balance. Drink about 10 full glasses of quality water (80 ounces) daily.
