The topic of water is as old as the world. Yet it is easily overlooked.
Just recently, friends were sharing with me their concern about someone close to them. The person was commenting about his tiredness, and the fact that he had swollen feet. The worry grew and some google searches brought up all sorts of possible reasons, each one worse than the other.
Sharing the concerns with me, I asked the caring friends if the person was drinking enough water and that it might be a worthwhile thing to consider for a day or two to start with.
Water is said to constitute roughly 60% of the grown up body, while it is higher in the case of a child. When we consider it closely, we can see that water plays fundamental roles for the optimum functioning of our body:
Transports nourishing elements as well as waste
Involved in metabolism (chemical reactions in the body)
Dissolves minerals, vitamins, proteins and many more
Is part of the fluid in the joints, around the brain and spine
Assists in regulating the body temperature
Is one component of the blood
Water is considered the most important nutrient (Whitney, 2019, p.417).
The kidneys, which handles the excretion of some wastes filtered from the blood, need water to perform at their best.
Proper level of hydration assist also with normal bowel motion which otherwise can be too hard.
Water dissolves, dissipates, lubricates, and supports all functions in the body. When functioning at its best, the body will also presents a skin that glows. The nutrients reaches the skin and the wastes are taken away.
It is easy to overlook the lack of water. Did you know that thirst and fatigue are signs that you have already lost 1 to 2% of your body weight in water. They are also signs of dehydration. It is easy to overlook our water intake in our busy lives.
How much water?
Ideally 1 to 2 litres per day of good quality water is recommended. The water is best filtered. If you have access to spring water even better. An easy way to insure enough water is drank during the day, is the have a bottle dedicated to water for which you know the quantity it contains. For example I use a glass bottle container 750 ml. When I drink two of them per day I know I have drank at least 1.5 litre. It helps to keep track on the water intake.
It is recognised that water encourages overall good health. This in return shows in a glowing complexion. Having a sufficient quantity of water each day can be a simple, yet impactful, addition to your life.
You might also like reading this blog: Why use natural skincare?
Reference
Whitney, E. et al. (2019). Understanding nutrition. Cengage.