Water is important!
When they tell you to drink more water- do it. The average person just does not drink enough. The old 8 glasses of water a day may seem like a wife’s tale but hydration is important to keep the body running smoothly. It would be like not putting oil into your car. What happens to it? Maybe not right away- but soon the car will not run at all. So take water seriously, especially in the summer months when you could risk dehydrating yourself.
How does our urinary system work?
The urinary system works to excrete wastes, regulate the amount of water in the body and regulate the pH balance.
Our 2 kidneys are bean-shaped organs containing the functional unit of the kidneys, called nephrons. Each nephron has a glomerulus that allows water and dissolved substances to pass out of the blood and these substances travel and some are reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
The Importance of Drinking Water:
when you drink water at the correct time, it can maximize its effectiveness on your body:
1. Drinking water after waking up can activate your internal organs
2. A glass of water before a meal can help with digestion
3. A glass of water before taking a bath or shower can lower blood pressure
4. A glass of water before bedtime can help to avoid stroke and heart attack- taken from the Pure Fresh Daily @ Facebook.com
The average adult’s body ranges from 50-60 % water, more in children and less in older adults.
To ensure adequate water, a balance must be kept between fluids taken in – through what we eat and drink, and what is excreted through sweat, urine, and exhalation.
To maintain a balance of water in the body, intake should equal output.
If water taken in exceeds water lost, an abnormal accumulation of fluids can cause edema.
If too much water is excreted, the body experiences dehydration. Either of these problems can interfer with proper functioning of the body.
The Top Ten Hydrating Foods:
Cucumber- 60%, Watermelon 96%, Pineapple 95%
Lettuce 95%, Tomato 94%, Blueberries 95%, Celery 95%
Cantaloupe 92%, Grapefruit 90%, Pear 89%– www.
Taken in part from: Gauwitz, D. (2011). Administering Medications. Minneapolis, Minn. Mc Graw-Hill