We all know that water is good for us. We know that we should be drinking 2L of water a day to stay hydrated. We also know that bottled water is one of the most popular choices amongst consumers worldwide. But do we really know why doctors recommend that we drink so much water? And do we know what happens if we don’t?
Water is so crucial for our health – in fact, us humans wouldn’t be able to survive more than a few days without drinking water. We need water more than food (we can survive a few weeks without food!) and yet we might not know why H2o is so crucial for our health. Let’s go back to basics and find out what there is to know about nature’s elixir of life – water.
Let’s take a look at the human body and realise why hydration is so important. The human body is not only made up of the physical flesh that we can see but is actually made up mostly of water. In fact, an average of 60% of the human body is made up of water! Where is all of this water being stored? This table from Medical News Today* will tell you.
|
Body part |
Water percentage |
|
Brain |
80–85% |
|
Kidneys |
80–85% |
|
Heart |
75–80% |
|
Lungs |
75–80% |
|
Muscles |
70–75% |
|
Liver |
70–75% |
|
Skin |
70–75% |
|
Blood |
50% |
|
Bones |
20–25% |
|
Teeth |
8–10% |
In essence, all of our vital organs and everything down from our skin to our bones and teeth need water.
Now knowing how much of our body is comprised of water, it’s quite simple to understand why we rely on it and that without it our bodies will begin to shut down. The brain and heart will struggle to work, the lungs will fight to breathe, skin can result in reactions such as dryness, and bones can turn brittle. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are many repercussions of dehydration which interfere with your body’s everyday functions. Early-stage consequences of not drinking water include dizziness, sleepiness and irritability.
You could go about your everyday life not realising what’s happening in your body as you carry around a bottle of water, but aside from your body simply functioning there are also benefits that come from drinking the recommended eight glasses or 2L of water a day. Water intake helps flush out toxins from your kidneys, it helps generate body fluids (such as saliva), it will keep your bowels regular and healthy, it energises muscles and prevents fatigue. Not to mention, when people consume more water in place of fizzy drinks and sodas, they consume less calories and spare themselves from nasty preservatives and excess sugars.
Water is so powerful and should play a big role in our daily routines. It’s the number one factor in health and a lack of it is detrimental. That’s why, at Custom Water, we want to encourage everyone to benefit from nature’s healer – water!
*Sources:
medicalnewstoday.com
webmd.com
healthline.com
