Importance of drinking water

Human bodies are made up of over 60% water, and it is an essential element for our survival. Water plays a vital role in regulating everything in our bodies, from brain function to physical performance to digestion. 

Although we can survive for days without food, we cannot spend even a few hours without hydration. Staying hydrated is crucial for a healthy life. 

There is no fixed quantity of water one must drink. The amount of water intake suitable for each individual may vary due to many factors; however, everyone must drink water regularly throughout the day to maintain a healthy body.

Unfortunately, with all the information available on the importance of water, many of us aren't still getting enough to drink.

 

Here are some easy to practice tips to stay constantly hydrated

1. Take a handy bottle of water with you and keep it near you at all times. Be kind to our environment and save money by carrying a reusable filter bottle and filling it up with tap water.

Choose a durable and cost-effective reusable water bottle such as the 321 Water Filter bottle, which will help you reuse and recycle while allowing you to enjoy safe and excellent tasting drinking water quickly.

Find out more on 'How to choose the best water bottle' here.

2. Try adding slices of fruits of your choice, such as lemons or strawberries, to your water if you are someone who doesn't simply like the taste of plain water.

Check out here for more ideas on easy Detox water recipes you can try.

3. Drink water, especially before starting your workout and during and after a workout. Keep a reminder to help you make this a part of your routine.

4. Practice drinking water when you are hungry. Thirst is often confused with hunger. Drinking water could also help contribute towards a healthy weight-loss plan.

5. Prepare a schedule for your water intake. It might help create a program around drinking water when you wake up, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then when going to bed and maybe even a small glass at the beginning of every hour.

 

Importance of drinking water

The unique health report released by The Harvard Medical School, 6-Week Plan for Healthy Eating, highlights the following main functions of water in our bodies.

  • Maintain and regulate blood pressure, heartbeat and body temperature
  • Enable digestion and preventing constipation
  • Carrying oxygen and other essential nutrients to our cells 
  • Flushing out harmful bacteria from our bladder and maintain electrolyte balance
  • Lubricating and cushioning our joints

Staying hydrated would mean that we give our bodies enough fluids to carry out these tasks comfortable.

Filter water

 

How much water should we drink a day?

A general rule, as per the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, water intake for healthy adults would be on average around 3.7 litres or 125 ounces for men and Around 2.7 litres or 91 ounces for women. 

Around 80 per cent of this water intake should come from drinks, including water, and the rest from our food intake.

This means that men should drink around 12.5 cups of fluid, while women should drink just over 9 cups per day.

 

How to avoid dehydration

When our bodies don't get the required quantity of water to perform these functions, it is at risk of becoming dehydrated. Signs of severe dehydration could include:

  • Feeling weak or dizzy.
  • Having low blood pressure or high blood pressure.
  • Dry skin and urine that's dark in colour.

It is not only water that can help us remain sufficiently hydrated. All kinds of beverages containing water help with our daily water intake.

Caffein

It is a popular myth that caffeine or caffeinated beverages are dehydrating due to their diuretic properties, which cause the body to release water. However, extensive studies on Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance have found that over the day, the water intake from these beverages still positively contributes to our overall fluid intake.

There are still many reasons why water is still the better choice for ramping up our fluid intake.

Drinks with a high sugar content called empty calories can lead to weight gain and inflammation, increasing the risk of developing diabetes. 

It is always good to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration. The most common practice is to have a drink at each meal at least.

During our day to day activities, we tend to lose a lot of water through sweating, urination and even breathing. For our bodies to function normally and prevent dehydration, we must replace this water loss.

There are times when it is most important to drink a lot of water, such as ;

  • when we have a fever
  • or when the weather is hot
  • if we have diarrhea and vomiting, which again leads to excessive loss of water
  • or simple when we sweat a lot, maybe due to physical activity

 

Detox bottle

What are the best sources of water

We must not forget that we get fluids from water-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits. As water forms the central part of most of the fruits and vegetables we consume, our body can also absorb water through these foods such as oranges, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber etc. 

However, drinking water directly from a tap or a bottle is the easiest and best fluid source for our body.

Given the importance of water to our health, it is also vital that the water we drink is as pure & fresh as possible. 

Purchasing bottled water every time we need a drink can be expensive and environmentally damaging. While we are on the go, filtering water is a great way to stay hydrated and enjoy great-tasting and better-smelling drinking water by removing all harmful contaminants.

Check out our blog on 'Why you should be using an on the go water filter' here.