The Effects of Water on Our Body, Point by Point
If the body does not have enough water, blood viscosity increases; this causes little oxygen and nutrients to be transported to the organs.
Not drinking enough water of adequate quality leads to chronic dehydration (fluid and water loss) in cells, and cells becoming unable to use their capacities causes the immune system to collapse. This is because diseases first begin to appear in a dehydrated body, that is, in dehydrated cells. And dehydration is among the most important causes of chronic diseases. We can list the functions and importance in the body of water, which is as important as oxygen for a person to sustain life, as follows.
1. Water has the most important role in the health of tissues and organs.
2. Water creates the environment that ensures adequate absorption of food and the proper conducting of chemical and enzymatic reactions.
3. Water is a fundamental substance for healthy perfusion (tissue nourishment provided by blood circulation).
4. Water enables toxins and harmful substances in the body to be removed from tissues.
5. Water regulates the body's temperature (thermoregulation).
6. Water suppresses hunger.
7. Water ensures the kidneys function well.
8. Water enables toxins and other waste products to be eliminated from the body,
9. Water is necessary for the health of your hair, skin, and nails.
10. Water lubricates the joints.
11. Water ensures harmful substances are excreted through urine.
12. Water, present in saliva and stomach secretions, supports the digestion of food.
13. Water plays an important role in cell metabolism,
14. Water helps a person feel fit and vital.
15. Water facilitates the transport of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, hormones, and oxygen to the muscles via the blood.
16. This list goes on and on... Because water is life.
WHEN TO DRINK WATER
You should drink water throughout the day. But how? Water should be drunk spread throughout the day and in small amounts. In other words, you should not drink half a liter or more of water all at once, in one sitting. Nor is it something we recommend if you don't want to drink water while out (this is the most common reason women don't drink water, so as not to have to use the restroom while out) and then, once home, try to complete your entire daily water requirement all at once within an hour or two.
The best times to drink water are upon waking, before going to sleep, half an hour before and half an hour after meals, and between meals. Water should not be drunk during a meal or immediately after eating.
SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
Thirst is a drive that is both forgotten and remembered. A person who doesn't have the habit of drinking water may not notice, initially, any sign related to thirst — or there may be none at first. However, chronic dehydration can manifest itself as weakness, fatigue, hot flashes, digestive complaints such as indigestion, burning, and constipation, pain in the back and joints, decreased thermoregulation and oxygen transport due to reduced electrolyte concentration, and, if it continues, difficulty concentrating, loss of muscle strength, headache, dizziness, and so on. Chronic dehydration plays a very important role in the development of asthma, allergies, stress, aging, hypertension, chronic headaches, muscle loss, and metabolic disorders.
In my next article, I will address the topic of "Why we need to drink water."
If you would like broader information about water, you may benefit from my books Discover Life, Discover Detox, Why Are We Living Wrong, and My Forgotten Body.