By Dr HS Prema
Talk to fitness and health freaks, they will boast about the protein, vitamin and mineral supplements they take. But rarely do they talk about water. That is the truth. People ignore the health benefits of water. Maybe because it is available for a penny and maybe because the poor and the rich drink the same colourless, odourless liquid. To sum it up, water doesn't have a fashion quotient attached to it. Though water as a food appears unattractive, it is the single-largest nutrient of the human body and has innumerable roles to play.
Biologically Active:
Water as a nutrient is biologically very active and provides form and structure to the cells. It controls the entire physiological process of humans. It is an essential component of all body tissues.
Stabilises Body Temperature:
When outdoor temperature is more, the body sweats to keep it cool. To replenish the loss of water, we have to drink more of it. People who work outdoors must carry water with them and keep drinking it. When water is lost, sodium and potassium are also lost, causing mineral imbalance.If water along with sodium and potassium is not replenished, one feels dizzy , loses orientation and finally may end up in sunstroke. Loss of 20% of water may be fatal. People working in AC rooms too should drink water. In any temperature, water from the body will be lost in the form of perspiration.
Detox Medium:
Knowingly or unknowingly, we consume toxins. They need to be eliminated by the body to continue normal physiological functions. Water takes up the toxins (metabolic wastes) from blood and eliminates through kidneys in the form of urine. Liver separates the toxins consumed orally and passes the responsibility to water to eliminate. Water in turn detoxes in the form of faeces. Toxins consumed through air will be accumulated in the passage of the alveolar and water with the help of gas pushes out the toxins through lungs.
Transport Medium:
As a solvent, it carries solutes for the cell function and is the medium for all reactions.
How much in a day?
As we Indians lose a lot of water, we need to drink at least 3 to 4 litres in a day . This water can be in any form of liquid, such as rasam, soup, juices, tender coconut, etc., but milk is not a substitute for water. People should not confuse carbonated drinks with water, as these chemical liquids do not do any good to the body . Instead they harm by adding toxins.
Bottled water vs tap water
People think bottled and branded waters are better than tap water. This is a myth. The best water to drink is to boil tap or well water, put a few pieces of charcoal, keep it overnight and drink in a silver or copper tumbler like a king. Spring water with minerals dissolved in it has health benefits and is the best water among all.
Is there a danger mark?
Water should not be consumed more than the volume of body fluids and that is 5 litres for an average human body . But, during summer, Indians can drink 5 litres of water spread through the day . If one consumes more than the volume of body fluids at one stretch, it will end up in hyponatremia, which can be fatal.
(The writer is MD and Consultant Dietician & Nutritionist, Varenya Nutrition Concepts, Bengaluru)
Talk to fitness and health freaks, they will boast about the protein, vitamin and mineral supplements they take. But rarely do they talk about water. That is the truth. People ignore the health benefits of water. Maybe because it is available for a penny and maybe because the poor and the rich drink the same colourless, odourless liquid. To sum it up, water doesn't have a fashion quotient attached to it. Though water as a food appears unattractive, it is the single-largest nutrient of the human body and has innumerable roles to play.
Biologically Active:
Water as a nutrient is biologically very active and provides form and structure to the cells. It controls the entire physiological process of humans. It is an essential component of all body tissues.
Stabilises Body Temperature:
When outdoor temperature is more, the body sweats to keep it cool. To replenish the loss of water, we have to drink more of it. People who work outdoors must carry water with them and keep drinking it. When water is lost, sodium and potassium are also lost, causing mineral imbalance.If water along with sodium and potassium is not replenished, one feels dizzy , loses orientation and finally may end up in sunstroke. Loss of 20% of water may be fatal. People working in AC rooms too should drink water. In any temperature, water from the body will be lost in the form of perspiration.
Detox Medium:
Knowingly or unknowingly, we consume toxins. They need to be eliminated by the body to continue normal physiological functions. Water takes up the toxins (metabolic wastes) from blood and eliminates through kidneys in the form of urine. Liver separates the toxins consumed orally and passes the responsibility to water to eliminate. Water in turn detoxes in the form of faeces. Toxins consumed through air will be accumulated in the passage of the alveolar and water with the help of gas pushes out the toxins through lungs.
Transport Medium:
As a solvent, it carries solutes for the cell function and is the medium for all reactions.
How much in a day?
As we Indians lose a lot of water, we need to drink at least 3 to 4 litres in a day . This water can be in any form of liquid, such as rasam, soup, juices, tender coconut, etc., but milk is not a substitute for water. People should not confuse carbonated drinks with water, as these chemical liquids do not do any good to the body . Instead they harm by adding toxins.
Bottled water vs tap water
People think bottled and branded waters are better than tap water. This is a myth. The best water to drink is to boil tap or well water, put a few pieces of charcoal, keep it overnight and drink in a silver or copper tumbler like a king. Spring water with minerals dissolved in it has health benefits and is the best water among all.
Is there a danger mark?
Water should not be consumed more than the volume of body fluids and that is 5 litres for an average human body . But, during summer, Indians can drink 5 litres of water spread through the day . If one consumes more than the volume of body fluids at one stretch, it will end up in hyponatremia, which can be fatal.
(The writer is MD and Consultant Dietician & Nutritionist, Varenya Nutrition Concepts, Bengaluru)
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