Water is an important component of the human body and is essential for all life, accounting for about 50-60% of a healthy adult’s body weight.
The role of water is crucial to the human body. All biochemical reactions in the body depend on the presence of water, and it is also responsible for transporting nutrients to tissues, transferring metabolites to the blood for redistribution and excreting metabolic wastes through urine. Water is also a major component of the thermoregulatory system, helping the body to maintain a constant body temperature, and also plays a role in lubricating tissues and joints.
Water is so important to us, that how to properly drink water becomes a health knowledge that each of us need to learn. How do good drinking habits affect human health? And what is the correct way to drink water?
After increasing the amount of water you drink
What will happen to the body?
1. Increase water consumption, reduce the risk of kidney and urinary tract infections
A randomized controlled trial study found that drinking an additional 1.5L of water per day reduced the average number of cystitis attacks by 1.5 compared to the control group after 12 months of follow-up.
2. Increased urination may reduce the risk of kidney and urinary stones
Meta-analysis pooling several studies revealed that in randomized controlled trials and observational studies, patients with high fluid intake had a 60% and 51% lower risk of kidney stones, respectively, and high fluid intake was also significantly associated with a reduced risk of recurrent kidney stones, with a 60% and 80% lower risk of occurrence, respectively.
3. Regular tea consumption helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and gastric cancer
Relevant analysis results show that one cup (about 236.6 ml) of tea per day can reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by an average of 4%; one cup of tea per day can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by 2%; if the daily intake of six cups of green tea, it can reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 21%.
How much water do we really need to drink every day?
In some cases, it can be increased appropriately
The average healthy adult needs to drink about 2,700-3,000 ml of water per day, but this amount includes water produced by the body’s metabolism, water from ingested food, and water ingested through drinking. The recommended minimum daily water intake for lightly active adults living in mild climates is 1500-1700 ml (about 7-8 glasses).
It should be noted that people who work or exercise in hot summer environments will sweat more, so the amount of water drunk should be increased accordingly according to the individual’s physical load and heat stress status.
There are ways to drink water correctly
Should follow these three principles
1. A small number of times, to avoid a one-time flood
Drinking water should be a small number of times, drinking time should be allocated at any point in the day, each time about 200 ml (1 cup). Be careful not to pour at once, because a large amount of water at once will increase the burden on the stomach and intestines, so that the gastric juice dilution, both to reduce the bactericidal effect of gastric acid, but also to prevent the digestion of food.
2. Active drinking water, especially these three time periods
One of the important principles of healthy drinking habits is to take the initiative to drink water, wait until thirst is already the body issued a water shortage distress signal. Among them, these three periods of time should pay particular attention to strengthen the awareness of active drinking water.
Time period one: morning wake up
Drink a glass of water on an empty stomach after waking up in the morning to reduce blood viscosity and increase circulating blood volume.
Time period two: before going to bed
Drink a glass of water before going to bed (but note that do not drink a lot of water after half an hour before going to bed) to help prevent the increase in blood viscosity at night.
Time period three: after a lot of sweating
After exercise or a lot of sweating should be timely and active as needed to replenish an adequate amount of water, after exercise should be supplemented with light saline or sports drinks to replenish the water and electrolytes lost during rapid and heavy sweating.
3. Try to avoid iced drinks or sugary drinks
Drinking water can choose plain water, tea, green bean soup, etc. is also a good choice, the taste of stimulating ice drinks or sugary drinks as little as possible or do not choose.
Under special circumstances
The need for appropriate supplemental light salt water
In the case of heavy sweating, such as athletes, farmers, soldiers, miners, construction workers, firefighters and other people with high physical activity levels, pay attention to additional hydration while needing appropriate supplementation of light salt water (concentration of 0.9%), mainly to prevent the loss of sodium ions caused by heavy sweating, to maintain the body’s electrolyte balance and replenish sodium salts.
Sodium is closely related to our blood pressure, and excessive salt intake can affect blood pressure and raise it, so under normal circumstances we need to control salt intake and reduce the amount of salt used. However, under the special condition of heavy sweating, it is necessary to supplement the body with light saline appropriately. You can buy physiological saline, or add some salt (0.1% salt concentration) to plain water or tea in moderation, or choose sports drinks for proper supplementation.
