Water is essential for life, and being hydrated is important
for you and your family’s physical and mental performance. Your body is largely
made up of water and water content in your body declines with age from about
75% in babies to 60% in adults
Water is essential for the body and
organs!
Did you know that your organs contain a high percentage of
water?
The blood, kidney, heart and lungs are made up of 80% or
more water. The muscles, spleen, intestines and your skin are also made up of
72 to 75% of water. Even your bones contain 22% while your fat tissue is 10%
water.
People generally drink enough water but for specific age
groups like the elderly, or while exercising, fluid intake is quite critical.
Good hydration helps maintain
physical performance
Even mild dehydration of your body can create a reduction in
muscle performance and start to show dehydration symptoms.
When exercising in a hot environment (30°C or more), a drop
in water level as little as 2% of body weight (1.5 litre for an 75kg adult) can
significantly reduce physical endurance and adversely affect sports performance
such as dexterity and muscular strength. So, boost your physical abilities by
being hydrated enough and even more during summer times.
Good hydration helps to stay astute!
It’s without doubt that good hydration helps maintain mental
performance as the brain is made up of 85% of water.
Moderate dehydration of only 2% of your body weight can
alter certain cognitive functions such as concentration, visual tracking,
alertness, short-term memory which can lead to a state of fatigue. On the other
hand, studies show that hydration has positive effects on stress, depression
and anxiety.
So don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. Make drinking
water a regular part of your daily life as well as for your family.
Good Hydration helps in disease
prevention!
In addition to the daily maintenance of your body, water
also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking 8 glasses of water
daily can help reduce the risk of colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast
cancer. It can also help in the treatment of many other types of diseases,
ailments and disorders that affect the many systems of your body.
Good to know:
How do you know if you are drinking
enough water?
You can make sure you are drinking enough water
through the appearance of the urine. It should be light in color and have a
neutral smell all day except in the morning when you wake up. This is also true
of children.