Biologically Speaking, What Does Water Actually Do?

Water.

You probably have an idea that it’s pretty important.

It makes up approximately 60% of the human body.

You can only survive about three to four days without it, even though you could survive up to three weeks with no food.

Drinking enough of it is even considered one of many lifestyle skills to manage your stress.

So it’s no wonder there is so much emphasis on staying well hydrated.

Let’s take a closer look at water and all of the amazing things it can do for your body.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

You may have heard the generalized recommendation to drink “eight cups of water per day”.

This advice, however, is quite over-simplified.

For instance, if you exercise regularly, you’ll need more to replace the water you sweat out.

Same goes for people who live in warm climates.

And don’t forget the water you get in your food.

For most people this accounts for about 20 percent of their water intake each day, and could be higher if you eat a lot of foods with a high water content such as cucumber, watermelon, or tomatoes.

The general recommendation from the National Academics of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is that women should get approximately 91 ounces/11.5 cups of water daily, and men 125 ounces/15.5 cups.

The best way to judge your water intake is to look at the colour of your pee.

It should be a pale yellow colour – if it’s too dark can, this indicate dehydration.

However, there are a number of other things that may cause discoloured urine.

If you feel like you’re getting enough water and it’s still too dark, contact a naturopathic doctor in Toronto – it could be indicative of a larger issue.

Beyond A Thirst Quencher

There’s nothing quite like a nice cold glass of water on a hot day, or after an intense workout.

But water does so much more than just keep you hydrated.

Let’s take a look at some of the other important roles water plays in your body.

1. It Helps To Regulate Your Temperature

Sweating helps keep you cool.

It may sound gross, but when you’re exercising or otherwise in a hot environment, the moisture on your skin from sweat helps keep your body temperature from rising too much.

In order to sweat, however, you need to be properly hydrated.

If you don’t replenish water when you sweat, your body temperature will continue to rise, plus you will lose electrolytes.

2. It Improves Your Physical Performance

During exercise, you could sweat out six to ten percent of your body weight.

Dehydration can affect your performance, especially during activities which require a lot of endurance, or during high intensity activity.

Exercising without getting enough water can result in overheating, hypotension, and in extreme situations seizures and death.

3. It Staves Off Certain Illnesses

Staying hydrated can help you be less susceptible to a number of illnesses, including:

• High blood pressure
• Constipation
• Urinary tract infection
• Kidney stones
• Exercise-induced asthma

In addition, water plays an important role in helping your body absorb nutrients from food, which also help you stay healthy.

4. It’s One Of The Main Components Of Saliva

Saliva is important for helping you eat.

Made from water, electrolytes, enzymes, and mucus, it helps you break down solid food.

Some factors which can result in decreased saliva include ageing and some medications.

If your mouth is dry, and drinking more water doesn’t help the issue, see your naturopathic doctor as it might be indicative of a larger health issue.

5. It Helps You Get Rid Of Waste

There are a number of ways the body eliminates waste.

We’ve already discussed sweat, but the other two main ones are through urine and bowel movements.

The kidneys filter waste via urination – in order for them to function properly you need to have adequate water intake.

If you don’t get enough water, you could also be at risk of kidney stones, due to build-up of minerals.

6. It Keeps You Regular

This goes hand-in-hand with helping you get rid of waste.

Adequate water intake is important for having healthy stool and avoiding constipation.

When you are dehydrated, the colon absorbs water from stool, and this stops things from moving along in a normal way.

7. It Helps Your Digestive Process

Sipping on water while you eat a meal helps your body to more effectively digest food.

From the first bite when the saliva in your mouth starts to break-down food, through digestion, and break-down of food in your stomach, your body uses water at every step.

Water is actually required for the enzymes that breakdown your food to function properly.

Book An Appointment With Dr. Sheila Dyer, Naturopathic Doctor

Have you been having difficulty digesting your food?

Do you feel like you’re having a hard time staying hydrated, even though you’re drinking lots of water?

Are you suffering from conditions which can result from dehydration such as kidney stones or constipation, and just drinking more water alone isn’t cutting it?

I’m Dr. Sheila Dyer, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, and I want to help.

I’ll help you get to the bottom of what’s causing your symptoms, and offer natural solutions to help your body heal and get back on track.

Contact me today for a consultation, to learn more about how naturopathic medicine can help you.