Water: Essential for life

Human beings can live on for a few weeks with no food, but without water we would not survive after only a few days. There would be no life without water. About 60 percent of a mature body weight is water. It must be continually replaced since we lose roughly 0.3 litres of water simply through breathing.

            We need water for digestion and the elimination of waste products. It acts as a lubricant for joints and eyes, and is essential for the regulation of body temperature. Both drink and food supply water.  When you get any form of energetic exercise or when the weather is mostly hot, you should drink more than usual to balance for the extra water lost through breathing rapidly and sweating. By drinking plenty of water you can ensure that calcium in the urine is diluted in high concentrations, calcium can crystallise and form kidney stones. Water flushes out bladder and kidney infections and improves the complexion by washing out the body’s waste products.

            People who drink too little water may suffer from headaches and poor concentration. But surprisingly, it is possible although difficult to drink too much water. If a lot of water is taken in a very short space of time, it can cause short-lived symptoms which are similar to those of being drunk.

Sales of bottled waters and water filters have increased dramatically, reflecting public worries over the quality of tap water. These worries are largely unjustified, though some potential problems remain. Although water is regularly tested, certain pollutants may still be present in minute quantities. These include fertilizers, weedkiller, industrial chemicals and poisonous metals. Some substances such as chlorine, fluoride and aluminium sulphate which are added to tap water have also provoke alarm among consumers.

                        Although tap water is safe to drink, many people use water filters to remove minute traces of chemicals, metals and other substances that may be present in tap water. Whatever filter system you choose, you must replace the filter regularly, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the filter is overused, it will start to release pollutants back into the water and breed bacteria.

There are three main types of filter. Activated carbon filters include the type in which you pour tap water through filter which sit on top of a jug; they remove chlorine,pesticides and some chemicals, but not fluoride or nitrates. Distillation units remove most impurities through a process in which the water is vapourised then condensed. However, many people find the taste of distilled water rather bland, and the distillation units use a lot of electricity. Reverse osmosis system force filtered water through a membrane; they remove virtually all chemicals and minerals, including those such as calcium and magnesium which benefit health and enhance the flavour of drinking water. Once water has been filtered in this way it should be used immediately or refrigerated and used within 24 hours. Do not leave it to stand at room temperature, because bacteria will multiply in the absence of chlorine.

            Water hardness depends, in part, on levels of certain minerals, such as calcium magnesium, in the water. If you live in a hard water area and decide to install a water softener, you should keep one tap that supplies hard water for cooking and drinking. Not only does this ensure that you will be benefitting from calcium in the water, it also means that you will avoid ingesting sodium, relatively high levels of which are produced by the softening process.

Many people do not drink enough water. But although nutritionists have suggested minimum requirements for a whole range of nutrients, the recommended amounts of water vary depending on the climate in which you live and your activities. Roughly one third of an adult’s daily fluid intake is supplied by what is eaten rather than what is drunk, fruit and vegetables provide most of this additional fluid, but small amounts come from bread and dairy products.

Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Water helps your body to keep normal temperature, lubricate joints, it help you to keep rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and perspiration.