55 to 70% of the average of human adult body is made of water. It runs through blood, inhabits the cells and in the space between. Water is essential in regulating body temperature through perspiration, which in turn dissipates excess heat and cools our body, maintaining the optimum level of hydration, aiding in the food digestion and absorption, flushing and cleansing the toxins and other wastes out of the body, carrying nutrients, hormones, antibodies and oxygen in the blood stream and lymphatic system, keeping the joints working, as well as protecting organs and tissues including the spinal cord from shock and damage.
Humans can live without food for more than 2 months but cannot do without water for a few days. Most of us do not drink enough water. The minimum recommended water intake daily is 2 liters. Fluid lost through sweat, urination, defecation or exhaled breath and other body function must be replaced or otherwise without replenishing lost water, the body goes into dehydration and may cause various illnesses as the body struggles to maintain itself without sufficient water.
Observing the urine's color can be used as a barometer of dehydration. Clear urine indicates you are well hydrated, but yellow urine indicates you need to drink more water (of course you have to also remember that vitamins and heavily pigmented foods will add color to your urine).
Most people aware that dehydration can cause serious illnesses, BUT rarely do they know that drinking too much water in a short period of time faster than your body can sweat, urinate or breathe it out can be fatal and even deadly.
The kidneys regulate the amount of water, salts and other solutes leaving the body. People assumed that if you drink too much your kidneys will get rid of the excess water. This is not true at all. When one drinks too much water in a short period of time, the kidneys is unable to flush it out fast enough, the blood becomes waterlogged. Excess water leaves the blood and ultimately enters the cells. As cells take more extra water and expand, the cell is swelling like balloons to accommodate it and put stress on organs. Most cells have room to stretch because they are embedded in flexible tissues such as fat and muscle, but this is not the case for the brain, which has no room to expand within the skull and can cause a seizure, respiratory arrest, coma or even death.
This condition is called Water intoxification or in Latin word the terms is, translates as "insufficient salt in the blood." This condition affects the never impulses and impairs mental processes. The symptoms of Hyponatremia include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, lethargy, agitation, and frequent urination.
One should balance what he/she is drinking with what he/she's sweating, i.e.: maintaining a proper balance of water and electrolytes such as sodium (salt) intake. However measuring sweat output is not easy. How to determine how much water should be consumed to support your health?
The answer is depending on your diet, exercise habits and environment. If you eat more food rich in water content such as vegetables and fruits, you may not drink too much water. If you sweat regularly due to exercise or warm climate, you might need more water to avoid dehydration. The best indicator would be a thirst barometer, "drink to your thirst".
When we grow up we were taught to drink at least eight glasses a day, but drinking by fixed volume is unreliable because each individual body is unique and the daily fluid turnover is different.
To help maintain the proper fluid and salt level, it would be advisable to weigh yourself before and after heavy exercise. Each 1 kg loss in weight is equal to 1 liter of water. Take it easy and don't be rushed drinking water after exercise, make sure that you don't feel bloated and feeling discomfort. Drink when you feel the need to and DO NOT gulp fluids in large volumes before, during or after a heavy exercise or a race.
Spread the info. Don't Stop drinking water, you just need balance and DO NOT over-drink
