Water is a vital liquid that assures us that our bodies are appropriately nourished. Maintaining a good hydration, filtering blood waste or assisting organs with their movements, are some of the functions carried out by water in the body. Next in OneHowTo we explain and help you understand how often you should drink water and the multiple benefits doing so will bring. Remember: water is life and health. Hydrate yourself daily!
As you get older, the thirst center in your brain decreases in sensitivity. For this reason, with age, it is important to remember to drink water regularly since you won´t necessarily feel thirsty when you are dehydrated.
Our kidneys work around the clock to maintain a perfect balance of salt and water in our organism. Prehistorically, as water was sometimes scarce, we have evolved systems that are very good at preserving whatever water we intake. This means that if we don´t intake a lot of water, our kidneys will make sure to absorb and preserve whatever water it has. This being said, our bodies thrive on plenty of water, as it is essential for the proper functioning of all organs and systems.
If on the contrary, you take too much water, like any substance, the dose makes the poison. That is, too much water, similarly to too little water, can very dangerous and may even lead to death.Too much water will dilute salt and other nutrients in your blood to dangerous levels, and could lead to kidney failure. Have no fear, drinking too much water isn´t a common occurrence; a healthy kidney can eliminate 0,8 liters to 1 liter an hour, and your body is pretty good at telling you when it has had enough, so drink up!
Appropriate consumption varies per person and depends on the type of activity carried out, the climate and, person´s metabolism and diet. Keep in mind that if you practice sports or live in warm areas your body will sweat more, which means there will be a loss of water which must be returned to the body. Also, if you eat very salty food, you will need a lot of water to dilute the salt and maintain the normal salt concentration in your blood.
According to general guidelines and medical advice it is recommended to drink a quantity of water that is balanced and in accordance to your performance. Generally, adults should take some 8 cups of water a day, equivalent to some 2 litres. If you drink this much water a day and you combine it with a good diet you should not worry about suffering from dehydration. Keep in mind that you intake water in other ways, and this is factored into the recommended 2 liters. If you have a large soup for lunch, and a big slice of watermelon, you can safely subtract that to the 2 liter recommendation. You can also drink substitutes such as rose water.
How to know if you are drinking the adequate amount of water a day? It is easy. The answer lies in noticing a couple of basic indicators. The first indicator is thirst; if you are rarely thirsty it may mean that your water intake is adequate and your body does not require further doses. As some people don´t feel the thirst sensation as strongly as others, this is not the best indicator. The second indicator is urine, its color must be between yellow and clear. If your urine is darker, it means that you need more water for your body to dilute the urine. If your urine is very dark (brownish) you should consult your doctor immediately as it may be a symptom of a greater problem.
As we have mentioned, taking too much water can also be a problem. This condition is called water intoxication, and is considered problematic as out kidneys can not accept more than 4 glasses of water per hour.
Drink water on a daily basis, but do it in good measure. In general, your body will let you know how and when you should be drinking water or when you have drank enough. Water is essential for our development and the correct functioning of our body. In the event of observing anomalies in urine, sweat or other, consult a physician.
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This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
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