Why worry about water? Because contaminated water can threaten your family’s health. Over 200 water-caused epidemics occurred between 1961 and 1973 nearly 55,000 ill, 22 died.
The daily intake of water is essential for life itself. Medical authorities stress the importance of drinking eight cups of water daily because this is the amount required to maintain the body’s proper water balance. Even a physically inactive adult uses eight cups of water daily because water is needed in all the body’s chemistry, and it is used constantly.
We’re really fortunate in having a body that recycles the water we drink; if this was not true, we would spend most of our time drinking endless gallons just to stay alive.
Water is present in all living body cells. It helps in the digestive process to break up, soften, and transport food particles. The blood, which is 90 percent water, circulates nutrients.
Water performs many other life-sustaining functions such as controlling body temperature through perspiration. Regardless of a person’s daily activity, he will ordinarily lose about two cups of water through his sweat glands.
During manual labor and strenuous sports, the body undergoes much stress and is benign many ways. Water acts as a lubricant, the same way oil prevents wear and tear in machinery parts.
It is very important to drink more water when exercising because this minimizes dehydration from sweating. Drinking water frequently while exercising maintains the body’s stamina and prevents fatigue, even a possible physical collapse. Stress is less on the circulatory system during sports activities. This is because the water is helping the blood carry energy-providing carbohydrates to the body’s cells.
During illness, it is important to drink more water to help control any fever which may be present.
Hot weather calls for an added intake of water to help regulate temperature and prevent overheating. This should be cool water but never iced water which is a shock to the throat bacteria which act as a control against harmful germs and virus. If you wonder where your summer cold came from (along with sore throat), think back to all those ice cold drinks you consumed when you were overheated.
The food we eat daily ordinarily contains about one quart of liquids.
From Herald of Health, Mt. Ayr, Iowa 50854.
