Drinking Water

When it comes to drinking water every day,an important question to ask is how much water should you drink It is a simple question with a not-so-simple answer.Just like one size does not fit all,every individual has different hydration needs which depend on a persons health,level of activity and climatic conditions.

Water is one of the most important nutrients and contributes about 55-60 % to our body weight.Much also depends on an individuals age,gender and body-fat content.We can live without food for almost two months,but we cannot survive without water for more than a few days.Water is essential for the body to function normally;dehydration can cause death.

Lack of water can lead to malfunctioning of the kidney,which would hinder excretion of uric acid,urea and calcium,resulting in kidney stones.Its scarcity can affect electrolyte balance in the body,which could be potentially dangerous causing coma or death.Water is also essential for breathing as the lungs need to be moist before they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.Apart from all these known functions,water is important for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism.It also helps cool the body through perspiration and lubricates our joints.People suffering from arthritis should drink a glass of water every second hour.

In the last decade,the 8X8 guideline (8 ounce or 240 ml of water or 8 glasses water) was followed all over the world.The National Institute of Nutrition in its 2011 guideline prescribed two litres or eight glasses of water per day for a healthy adult.

Optimum hydration can be achieved by drinking lowcalorie,nutritious beverages such as lemon water,green tea,coconut water,butter milk,besides plain water.Plan your day in a way that you drink enough liquid.The thumb rule should be to include at least one of these beverages as a part of your midmeal.In a nutshell,a person requires a minimum of eight glasses of water per day do not gulp all in one go,equally divide the number of glasses throughout the day and combine them with low-calorie,nutritious beverages whenever possible.

Regulate your water intake according to weather conditions for staying adequately hydrated through different seasons.