It
is amazing to think that 65-75% of our body weight is due to water, the elixir
of life without which our body cannot pull on even for some days. Scientists
rank it as second only to oxygen as essential for life. Water is a fat-free,
cholesterol-free, low in sodium and zero calorie drink. Cold water has more
dissolved oxygen that is why it quenches thirst more refreshingly.
It
is a medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It
transports nutrients, hormones, vitamins, antibodies and oxygen through the
blood stream and lymphatic system. Apart from helping in digestion and
absorption of food, water regulates body temperature through perspiration which
dissipates excess heat and cools our bodies. It also eliminates toxins and
other waste byproducts through urination and perspiration. It moistens lungs
for their efficient working, lubricates joints and protects tissues and organs,
including the spinal cord, from shock and damage. It keeps internal organs from
sticking together and skin from shrinking and drying out.
Hard
working people particularly require drinking large amounts of pure and fresh
water. Generally samples from ground water show presence of highly toxic
arsenic beyond permissible limits of 0.05 mg/l as recommended by WHO. Arsenic
is a documented human carcinogen. It is well known as slow poison and its
toxicity first manifests itself as lesions on skin. Therefore water must be
treated to make it safe for drinking.
We
need lots of fresh water to stay healthy; the daily requirement being about
eight glasses. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, sports persons and hard working
people need extra amounts. Drinking more water helps to reduce water retention
by stimulating our kidneys. It is not the water that makes us feel bloated, but
rather salt that holds large amounts of water in our body. If our food has less
salt, any extra water we consume will be quickly washed out of our body. Soft
water (water which has been treated to eliminate minerals) fails to supply the
body with required dose of essential minerals and is linked to higher incidence
of hypertension and heart disease. A recent study in the journal of The
American Dietetic Association established that drinking hard water may actually
reduce the risk of heart disease. Fluoridated toothpaste is recommended for
those areas where drinking water contains very less fluoride salts to prevent
the incidence of tooth decay.
Water
plays a major role also in weight-loss. Since it contains no calories it can be
taken in large amounts to make less room before gobbling high calorie food. It
suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize stored fat. When taken
while eating food, it does not dilute digestive juices; rather it serves as a
vehicle for best performance of enzymes and prevents indigestion and undue gas
formation due to bacterial decomposition of undigested food.
Drinking
inadequate amounts of water contributes to muscle fatigue, poor performance and
water retention. Dehydration leads to excess body fat, poor muscle tone and
size, increased toxicity, joint and muscle soreness.
It
is yet a sordid fact that most of us do not care to know its worth. Although
water covers more than 70% of the earth's surface, only 1% of the earth's water
is potable. Conservation of ground water by rain harvesting and maximizing the
uses of available water are the potential remedies to contain the alarmingly
increasing water scarcity.
