Water is something that cannot be left behind when discussing of a healthy lifestyle. We all know very well that water is a vital element not only for flora and fauna but also for humans. Meanwhile, when the body lacks water, side effects such as poorer muscle tone, indigestion, a weakened nervous system and an increased risk of vascular and cardiovascular disease can begin to occur. Since such a perspective doesn’t really sound charming, the question arises – how much water should you drink a day to be healthy?
Doctors’ recommendations
When it comes to the amount of water you need to drink every day, doctors’ recommendations vary. It is generally stated that eight glasses of water a day are necessary to maintain one’s vital functions. Other experts state that the amount of water you need to drink per day can be calculated based on your height. According to them, 1 cm tall requires 10 ml of water. This means that if your height is 170 cm, you should drink 1.7 liters of water a day.
You can also find a variety of detailed calculations that can provide you with the information of water amount you need to drink per day, depending on your body mass index, physical activity and its‘ intensity, stress level at work and so on.
Water uptake with food
Some people say they get enough water with food. This is only partly true. In fact, vegetables and fruits make up about 90% of water, meat and bread about 50%. However, even having proper breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacking on fruits or vegetables between meals, the body will not get enough water to meet the basic needs. Food in the diet of a healthy person usually provides about 20 percent of the water he or she has to drink per day in order to maintain good health. However, according to WaterOnTop.com research, there are some foods whose water content percentage is above 90% or even 95%. A few examples: cucumber – 96% of water content, iceberg lettuce – 96%, radishes – 95%, watermelon – 92%. These and other similar foods will help you stay hydrated all day long if you will integrate them into your nutrition.
Do not worry to consume too much water
Usually people drinks water only when they feel thirsty. However, this is not an example to follow. When a person feels thirsty, his body is already short of about one liter of water. It’s like a red light in the car dashboard that indicates you should go to a service center as soon as possible. Therefore, it is best to drink water constantly without waiting to feel thirsty.
In principle, it is not very important to adhere strictly to a norm that is calculated to be sufficient for your body. For example, you need to use more water on a hot summer day or during sports. In other words, the amount of water needs to be adjusted according to the situation in certain cases.
Also, don’t be afraid to consume too much water. Excess water is successfully eliminated by the body and it has no side effects on the body.
Not just quantity but also quality.
It should be mentioned that it is incredibly significant not only to drink the body’s daily required amount of water but also to ensure that the water is of high quality. After all, if you drink contaminated water that contains too many nitrites, nitrates, other toxic compounds, bacteria or chemicals, you will definitely have health problems soon. In other words, drinking hazardous water you will not strengthen your body but on the contrary, it will make you sick.
It is important to note that harmful substances in water may not change the taste, smell or color of the water. Therefore, it is possible that you are drinking harmful water without knowing it. Therefore, it is especially important to make sure that the water you use every day is of high quality and absolutely clean.
Choosing high quality water
To ensure that you and your family drink quality water, you can choose between the two the most reliable methods. You can drink either distilled water or use water filtered with Reverse Osmosis systems. These are the most popular choices among people who care about the quality of their drinking water for daily use. However, the question “Which one of these two options would be better?” is difficult to answer as everyone chooses according to their own and family’s needs.
There are two types Reverse Osmosis water systems: under sink and countertop. The first one has superiority because of its speed and large amount of water treated, the second one because of its convenience, compactness and easy transporting. It can be mentioned that the Reverse Osmosis filter is often chosen by those for whom distilled water looks a bit flat and tasteless. While the water filtered by this system retains its flavor. However, this water is not as pure as that distilled.
Whichever of these options you choose, you can be sure that you are drinking water that allows you and your beloved ones to maintain excellent physical and emotional health.
