How Does Water Help the Body

How Does Water Help the Body

A hot sultry day and a tiring walk home. Once back, the first thing every one does is have a glassful of clear and cold water. Do I need to tell the feeling that one experiences at that moment? Just imagine soaking yourself in hot water or standing under a hot shower after a stressful day at the office or gym. Water serves many curative functions even in our day-to-day life. In fact, water is very essential for maintaining the proper functioning of our body and sustaining us. It makes up more than half of our body weight and caters to the requirements of various bodily needs. Deficiency of water in the body can affect various functions and in severe conditions might also lead to death. Browse through the article to know how does water help the human body.

Effects of Water Deficiency

• Low blood pressure
• Clotting of blood
• Kidney malfunction
• Severe constipation

Functions of Water in the Human Body

The functions given below will help you understand the role of water in our body:

• Water is essential for digesting food. It is also important for getting rid of various toxic elements from the body, in the form of urine, sweat and fecal matter.
• Water helps to cushion our joints and prevents shocks in them.
• Water present in blood is the carrier of oxygen and nutrients to all our body cells.
• Water present in lymph (a fluid that is part of our immune system) helps the body to fight against various diseases.
• Water helps to regulate and maintain our body temperature. That explains why wet poultices are used to cure fevers.
• Water prevents dehydration and thus, helps to maintain proper metabolism in our body.

How Much Is Enough?

Many foods that we eat contain water to some extent and various fluids also add to the water intake of our body. Milk, fruits and vegetables are also rich sources of water. So, one should incorporate these foods to the diet as often as possible. Our body is made up mostly of water and approximately 85% of our brain, 80% of our blood and 70% of our muscle comprises of water. Moreover, every cell in our body needs water to live. So, one should make it a habit of drinking as much water as possible, preferably a minimum of 8-10 glasses regularly. The best part of water is that excess intake won’t increase the waistline, as its calorie count is absolutely zero