The wonders of water for the body

A survey by Sodastream - a US manufacturer of home carbonated water machines - found that a quarter of adults drink enough 2 liters of water a day, but 15% of respondents admitted that they drink more alcohol than water and many people prefer tea or coffee to water, according to Mirror.

Drink enough water to keep your body strong - Photo: Shutterstock

What happens to the body when dehydrated?

Our bodies need billions of reactions every second, and all of these reactions require water, says Chidi Ngwaba, clinical director of the Lifestyle Medicine Institute in the UK. Severe dehydration can actually be life-threatening, with even mild dehydration causing health problems ranging from headaches, digestive problems to loss of concentration.

A recent study by Loughborough University (UK) on the effects of dehydration on drivers found that dehydrated drivers were more likely to make errors during a 2-hour drive than well-hydrated drivers; the number of errors was similar to that of people over the alcohol limit when driving.

Many doctors believe that low levels of dehydration can be the cause of a host of health problems, including TATT, or “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” a condition that causes chronic, daily dehydration and exhaustion of unknown cause.

Signs of dehydration?

To recognize signs of mild dehydration, symptoms that may occur are fatigue, headache, dizziness, poor concentration, irritability, infrequent urination and darker urine, constipation, bad breath...

How much water to drink to avoid dehydration?

The question is, how much water is enough? Well, it depends on your body size, activity level, and the weather. The easiest way to tell if you're drinking enough water is by the color of your urine. If your urine is light yellow and bright, you're drinking enough water.

Can filtered water be replaced with other types of water?

According to experts, filtered water is the cheapest type of water, does not contain many calories that make us gain weight and does not take up our time to prepare water like tea or coffee. Foods that contain a lot of water such as fruits and vegetables will replenish the body's overall water intake, while bottled water such as fruit juice or smoothies only contain a lot of sugar.

The miraculous effects of water on the body

According to Mr. Chidi, water helps the stomach feel full and sends a message to the brain to inform that we are full, thus turning off the hunger signal. It also helps speed up the metabolism to burn more energy absorbed so as not to gain weight.

In addition, drinking plenty of water also helps lower blood pressure, improve digestion, especially good for people who often suffer from constipation due to not drinking enough water. Water helps the kidneys detoxify effectively, improve concentration, reduce headaches and promote the absorption of nutrients in the body.

According to TNO