Water is the elixir of life, 70% of the human body is made up of water. All the organs and cells that make up the body need water in order to function properly. Water regulates the body temperature and assists in the passage of food through the intestines.
Most people take drinking water for granted and do not meet the adequate requirement of water consumption. It is extremely important to drink sufficient water on a daily basis in order to replace the water that is lost from the body during daily activities like sweating and urination. Water is required for people to survive and is one of the most essential nutrients of the body.
Most people are of the thought that one needs to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. In reality, an individual may or may not need 8 glasses daily, because water intake does differ across ages. Infants and children require more water as they tend to get dehydrated quicker than adults. An average male needs up to 2.7 litres of water per day and an average female requires up to 2 litres of water per day. Children until 8 years of age require ½ litre water per day.
However, there are plenty of health benefits of drinking water;
- Drinking water helps maintain the balance in body fluids. We lose a lot of fluids from the body when sweating, urinating, and breathing. Moreover, water is required to for the body to carry out its routine functions like producing saliva, circulation of blood and other nutrients, maintaining body temperature etc.
- Water helps maintain the health and glow of the skin by preventing excess loss of body fluids.
- Water is essential for the kidneys to function properly. If the kidneys are unable to function properly, the waste products that need to be excreted out of the body will build up in the body leading to kidney failure.
- Water helps in the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and further aids in digestion and prevention of constipation.
Water is the original beverage and must always be your first choice. Children these days prefer to drink juices and other aerated beverages in place of water. It is generally unusual for anybody to dislike the taste of water, however in case of those who prefer to drink beverages other than water, a few essential tips to be follower are;
- Avoid sodas and aerated beverages
- Drink lime juice, coconut water
- Add some fruits to water to give it a flavour and help it taste better
- Drink sparkling water in order to get the fizz in the drink and make it seem like soda
- Consume fruits that are high in water content like watermelon, cucumber and oranges
- Make homemade popsicles
- Drink fresh fruit juices without adding extra sugar
Given that Dubai experiences the summer heat for most of the year, it becomes extremely important to stay hydrated at all times. The amount of water requirement increases as a child grows older. Children get dehydrated a lot quicker than adults. The concern is when the body loses fluids at a rate quicker than the fluids are replaced.
Specialist Dermatologist
