Back to Basics: Water

August 2020
Photo of glass of water

photo credit: Image by Michael Tavrionov from Pixabay


There is no doubt about it, water is essential for human life and health. But let’s dig a little deeper since there's more than meets the eye.


How do our bodies use water?


Our bodies are made up of about 60% water and every cell, tissue, and organ needs water to work properly. For example, water:

  • Regulates body temperature
  • Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Protects organs and tissues
  • Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
  • Lubricates and cushions joints
  • Protects the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
  • Lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
  • Helps dissolve minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to the body


How much water should I drink every day?


We have all seen various recommendations for how much water we need to drink every day, and it's helpful to keep the guidelines in mind, but we should also be aware that the amount of water each of us needs is dependent on several factors:

  • Our age and gender -- Older adults may benefit from drinking some water when not thirsty as studies have shown that they don't always sufficiently replenish their body's need for water after fluid deprivation. Men generally need more water than women due to their size / muscle mass.

  • Our environment -- Hot or humid weather can make us sweat and requires additional fluid intake. Dehydration can also occur at high altitudes.

  • Physical activity -- If our workout makes us sweat, we should drink water before, during and after exercising to cover the fluid loss. Exercising intensely for over an hour may require us to replace electrolytes (minerals in our blood) lost through sweat by drinking a sports drink, eating an energy bar, or by having certain healthy, whole foods.

  • Our general health -- If we're running a fever or have diarrhea or vomiting, our bodies will need more water than usual. Other conditions or situations that may require increased fluid intake include bladder infections, urinary tract stones, and taking diuretic medications. We should follow our physician's recommendations.

  • If we're pregnant or breast-feeding -- Women in both situations require additional fluids to stay hydrated. Again, we should follow our physician's recommendations.



Guidance on how hydrated we are:

How hydrated am I - guide

Information and image credit to the Australian government: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/urine-colour-chart




What other sources of fluid are there?

Regular readers of this blog or recipients of our monthly email newsletter will likely know that water isn't our only source of fluid intake, but that we also have the choice of other beverages or foods, for example:
  • spinach, celery, cabbage, strawberries are 90% to 99% water
  • ice cream, legumes, chicken breast are 60% to 69% water
  • bread, cheddar cheese are 30% to 39% water
  • peanut butter, crackers are 1% to 9% water

What happens if I have too much or too little water?

Symptoms of dehydration (not enough water) may include:
  • feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • feeling tired
  • feeling thirsty
  • having a headache
  • dry mouth, lips, eyes
  • urinating small amounts of liquid, urinating fewer than 4 times a day
  • disruptions in mood, cognitive functioning
  • constipation, small / hard stools
Drinking too much water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia, where the concentration of sodium in the blood is abnormally low.  To note, hyponatremia may also be caused by other underlying medical conditions and is not exclusive to drinking too much water.  Symptoms may include:
  • nausea, vomiting
  • headache
  • confusion
  • loss of energy, drowsiness, fatigue
  • restlessness, irritability
  • muscle weakness, spasms, cramps
  • seizures
  • coma

What's the bottom line?

Preventing dehydration and hyponatremia, drinking sufficient water, and taking in an adequate amount of liquids would be the smart way to go.  Here are some tips that we hope will help:
  • Listen to your body and watch for signs:
    • Drink water if you're thirsty.
    • Ensure that you urinate at least 4 times per day.
    • Pay attention to the color of your urine.  (See the last two links in the References and Resources section below.)
  • Give your body a chance to adapt:
    • Opt for a gradual increase in physical activity rather than increasing physical effort too aggressively or too quickly.
    • Acclimitize yourself gradually to new environments, especially hot / humid ones, before exercising strenuously in them.

  • Drink water as part of a healthy lifestyle:
    • Ensure you replenish electrolytes by eating whole, unprocessed foods where possible. (See the article in Runners World in the References and Resources section below.)
    • Add lemon, lime, strawberries, other fruit, or herbs to water if you prefer that to plain water.  Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
    • Store some bottles of water in the freezer so that you can grab them on the go to enjoy cold.  Keep in mind that you might want to remove the lid and a bit of water before leaving water bottles in the freezer because water expands as it freezes.  Simply replace the lid after the water has frozen.
    • Have plenty of whole fruits and vegetables every day.

As always, we are available if you have questions.  Drop by (we're at the corner of Chenal Pkwy and Wellington Hills, behind the bank), call (501-708-4320), or email (info@thepharmacyatwellington.com) us.  We welcome hearing from you!

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Your local partners in health,

Brittany, Nick, and the team



References and Resources:
  

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