A substantial amount of water intake in our daily life is considered to be necessary. It helps in bowel movements, hydration, urination, perspiration, normalization of body temperature, lubrication of joints and protection of sensitive body tissues. But what is the actual requirement of water for a human body. Depending upon the weight, mass and age of body, different scientists have recommended variously.
All in all, research studies show that 2 to 3 liter per day is a good amount. Roughly it means to drink around 8 to 12 glasses of water while each glass has capacity of 250ml. Although during the winters, we may not want to drink water, but studies show that it is more important to motivate us to drink water. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that a well dehydrated male consumes around 3.7 liters of water while female around 2.7 liters of water per day. Yet, in certain conditions the fluid intake could vary also like exercise, environment, overall health, pregnancy and breast feeding.
Is plain water the only fluid our body needs?
There is also a misconception among many youngsters that soft sweet and energy drinks are also a substitute for hydration need of the body. Some studies show that sugar sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks can cause cancer as well. Sometimes, we may not ant to drink plain water, there are other options as well. Fruits are the best choices for sufficient fluid intake. Almost all the fruits contain high amount of water. Vegetables is another great option. Watermelon and spinach are considered to be 100% water. Milk, juices and herbal teas are also great sources of water but should be taken in organic forms for maximum benefits.
Am I Drinking Enough Water?
Typically, there are two main ways to know if your water intake is enough. Either your feeling for thirst is rare or your urine is colourless. These two indicators suggest that you are taking sufficient amount of water. As a habit, you can get yourself used to drinking water before each meal. It has also been suggested that taking water prior to meals is best for consumption of food, while one can take water during the meals but taking water right after the meals is normally discouraged. Before, during and after exercises, water intake could be another golden habit.
Warm Water or Cool Water?
Some call it a myth that warm water is more beneficial than cool water. However, studies show that warm water is better than cool water. Most of Ayurvedic studies show that drinking warm water is more helpful especially for adults over 50 years of age. It is recommended that for better blood circulation, warm water is more helpful. But one may get confused how warm the water should be? Some studies show that 55 to 65 centigrade of temperature is helpful in killing pathogens.
What to do?
As a rule of thumb, we should drink around three liters of water everyday. Excessive or too much water intake is also considered harmful. 50% to 70% of our body weight is water. It is the dire need of the body. So, we should not miss out our water intake. Japanese water therapy goes so far as to suggest that one should drink hot water on empty stomach with multiple benefits like cleansing of body systems.
Stay Healthy and Safe Folks!