The adult human body is up to 60% water, and it needs water for many processes. You can survive only approximately 3 to 4 days without ingesting water in some form.

Hydration is essential for healthy bodies, athletic performance, energy, digesting food, functioning joints, and so much more.

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water you take in is less than the amount of water your body is losing. How do we lose water? Our bodies lose water by sweating through the skin, when eliminating waste (urine, faeces), and when exhaling during breathing. Most mature adults lose 2 to 3 litres of water per day.

To perform optimally and to be healthy we need to have fluid balance. This means that the amount of water you consume needs to equal the water you lose during the day.

The Importance of Water in the body

1. Water dissolves and transports minerals, vitamins, proteins, and other important substances throughout the body.
2. Water speeds up the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients and prevent constipation.
3. Water lubricates our eyes, joints, spinal cord, and other areas of the body.
4. Water regulates body temperature.
5. Water helps catalyze chemical reactions in the body.
6. Water aids in waste elimination from the body.
7. Water maintains the health and integrity of every cell in the body.
8. Water keeps the bloodstream liquid enough to flow through blood vessels.
9. Water moisten mucous membranes (such as those of the lungs and mouth).
10. Water moisturize the skin to maintain its texture and appearance.
11. Water serve as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord and in the amniotic sac surrounding the foetus in pregnancy

How to get enough fluid in your diet?

The only way to get water in is to consume it, although this is not restricted to drinking water. All beverages (milk, tea, coffee, soup), you consume provide water, as do foods you eat. Fresh water is the best drink because it does not contain calories and is best for hydrating the body. Focus on foods that have more water than others, like fruits, vegetables, and cooked grains and beans.

Foods and vegetables rich in water include; broccoli 92%, watercress 90%, cucumbers 96%, tomatoes 94%, watermelon 96%, spinach 92%, carrots 90%, celery 95%, lettuce 96%, grapefruit 90% water.

Avoid sugary and artificially sweetened drinks including sodas, packet juice, energy and sports drinks.

Tips for drinking more water

• Add a squeeze or slice of lemon or lime, or some strawberries or mint leaves to plain water to add variety.
• Keep a bottle or glass of water handy on your desk or in your bag.
• Drink some water with each meal and snack.
• Add ice cubes made from fresh fruit to a glass of water.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration is the loss of water and electrolytes (mineral salts like sodium, calcium, and potassium) from the body to the degree that it impairs body functions. The best way to combat dehydration is to avoid it. Being proactive and staying hydrated is important. Maintaining good, steady hydration means you shouldn’t feel thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

What Does Dehydration Feel Like?

Thirst is a sign of dehydration, but there are other clues that you have lost your fluid balance. The early signs of dehydration include:

• Thirst and dry mouth
• Darker urine
• Fatigue
• Flushing of the skin
• Elevated body temperature
• Increased breathing rate
• Elevated pulse
• Dizziness

Dehydration Impacts on workouts

During a workout or athletic event, dehydration can lead to decreased performance. You’ll start to feel fatigued and like everything requires more effort than usual. Dehydration triggers muscle cramps, nausea, and headaches. You will lose some muscular endurance and strength and your overall performance will decrease.

The Dangers of Dehydration

There are also some very serious potential consequences of dehydration. It can become severe if you don’t rehydrate. Dehydration can lead to; diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, fatigue.

If not corrected, dehydration can cause more serious complications: heat exhaustion, heat stroke, urinary tract infections, kidney failure, seizures, hypovolemic shock, coma, death. The risks are greatest during intense physical activity, especially in the heat. For this reason, hydration is very critical.

Determining Hydration Needs

The amount of fluid your body needs each day depends on several factors, such as; your gender, age, your health (in case of diarrhea and/or vomiting you need more water), how active you are, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, lifestyle, environment.

If you are not engaging in exercise on any particular day, two litres of water plus water from a healthy diet (several servings of fruits and vegetables) is adequate for hydration. This basic formula can be scaled up for larger people and those exercising and sweating a lot, and down for smaller individuals. It’s also important to consider factors that change basic fluid needs.

How to Hydrate before and During Exercise

When working out, a good general rule is to drink 500 millilitres (about two cups) a half an hour in advance and to get in 250 millilitres of fluid every 15 minutes during the activity. The idea is to get pre-hydrated so you start exercise in a state of having extra fluid and a good electrolyte balance. Drinking during the workout helps maintain hydration and prevent dehydration.

Drinking water post-workout helps to rehydrate and to assist recovery. Without proper rehydration at this point you risk becoming dehydrated and delaying recovery.

The Risks of Over-Hydration

If you drink too much, especially plain water without electrolytes, you can end up with hyponatremia (low concentrations of sodium in body fluids) although it is pretty rare in the general population. In other words, you dilute blood and other fluids until the levels of electrolytes are dangerously low.

For water to reach toxic levels, many litres of water would have to be consumed in a short period of time.

Does Drinking Water Help You Lose Weight

Drinking extra water in itself does nothing to promote weight loss. The truth is that drinking more water can help you control your appetite to some extent, and that in turn can support your weight goals. Just don’t expect water to be a miracle weight loss tool.

Try drinking a glass of water before a meal to eat less.

Hydration is essential for everyone, but even more important for active people and athletes.