WATER: Essential for life.

WATER: Essential for life.

By Pst (Mrs) Adebayo A.O

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.  And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.  And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. Genesis 21:15-16, 19.

Water is a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid which is essential for life. However, the quality of water can be compromised by the presence of infectious agents or toxic chemicals.

It has been said that even though humans can survive without food for some weeks, they only survive without water for few days. So, we need water to keep alive.

The body needs lots of water to carry out many essential functions, such as balancing the internal temperature and keeping cells alive.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), contaminated water and poor sanitation have been linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. Absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals to preventable health risks. In view of this, what we are looking at is “clean water” devoid of contamination.

What are the benefits of drinking water?

Drinking of water has a lot of health benefits which you and I must know and work on in order to enjoy good health.

It lubricates the joints: Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contains around 80 percent water. Long-term dehydration can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain.

It delivers oxygen throughout the body: Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood carries oxygen to different parts of the body.

It boosts skin health and beauty: With dehydration, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.

It regulates body temperature: Water that is stored in the middle layers of the skin comes to the skin’s surface as sweat when the body heats up. As it evaporates, it cools the body.

The digestive system depends on it: The bowel needs water to work properly. Dehydration can lead to digestive problems, constipation, and an overly acidic stomach.

It helps maintain normal bowel function and flushes body waste: Water is needed in the processes of sweating and removal of urine and feces.

It makes minerals and nutrients accessible: These dissolve in water, which makes it possible for them to reach different parts of the body.

It prevents kidney damage: The kidneys regulate fluid in the body. Insufficient water can lead to kidney stones and other problems. Water helps dissolve minerals and nutrients, making them more accessible to the body. It also helps remove waste products. These two functions make water vital to the kidneys. Water is essential for the kidneys to function. If the kidneys do not function properly, waste products and excess fluid can build up inside the body.

Weight loss: Water may also help with weight loss, if it is consumed instead of sweetened juices and sodas.

It may help prevent and treat headaches: . In tension headaches, it was noted that a cause can be fatigue. Fatigue is a side effect of dehydration. So, if dehydration is the cause of the fatigue and fatigue is the cause of the headache, then you can start by treating the fatigue and get hydrated. However, tension headaches could also be a symptom of other problems, it is a good idea to seek help from a medical professional if the headaches persist.

Tips to Drink Water that You Didn’t Know!

Do you drink 8 glasses of water every day? If not, then now would be a good time to start. Even though taking insufficient water has many side-effects, it is equally important that we are mindful of ‘how’ this water is consumed. According to the book – The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad, the following are tips to healthy drinking of water:

Sit down to drink water rather than standing: by this your muscles and nervous system is much more relaxed and helps the nerves to digest food and other fluids easily

Avoid chugging all the water at once: Avoid gulping down large volumes of water in a single breath, rather take smaller sip, swallow, breathe and repeat throughout the day.

Drink normal room temperature water, warm water is even better: Avoid ice chilled water that disturbs the ongoing process of digestion.

Drink when you are thirsty: being thirsty is a sign that your body is dehydrated which means your body doesn’t have enough water to carry out normal tasks. I guess this is the reason why some school of thought encourage regular drink of water to stay hydrated.

Know the Indicators your body gives you when you are thirsty: One being, the color of urine, dark yellow color may indicate dehydration, while fairly clear and straw colored urine is a sign of a hydrated and satiated body. Dry chapped lips are one of the indicators of a dehydrated body.

Drink Water First Thing in the Morning: It is a healthy habit to drink water first thing in the morning. It helps get rid of many diseases in the body. Drinking water in the morning helps in flushing all the toxins in the body and cleanses your intestines. Remember, warm water is better.

Drink water stored in Silver and Copper vessels: researches are indicating that cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. Therefore, there is a fairer chance of warding off cancer when you drink water stored in a copper or silver container which provides you with water with an alkaline content.

Copper has numerous antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties that help boost the immune system of the body. However, drinking water from copper vessel should be done moderately to avoid toxicity.

In conclusion, the benefits of drinking water cannot be exhausted. Therefore, ensuring hydration of our body by drinking enough water and monitoring how we drink will go a long way to make us healthy.