Water: The Essential Nutrient
- Dr. Carlo Filpa
- Nov 15, 2022
- 12 min read
Updated: May 14, 2024
"Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water."
Albert Szent-Györgyi - Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine
One of the most repeated phrases by doctors is: "Drink more water." But why? How much water? How can we improve our hydration habits?
Water is the most important nutrient, it is essential. Much is said about vitamins, minerals and other nutrient deficiencies, but little is said about water deficiency. We can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water. And what I see in my life and with my patients is that we honestly don't hydrate properly.
Our body is mostly made of water, it represents between 50% and 90% of it depending on age. 90% refers to a premature newborn and the percentage is lower in older adults.
The water needs of each person depend on many other factors: health, activity level, where you live, and climate, among others.
Below you will find information on:
Benefits and functions of water.
How much do we need?
The importance of hydration in different situations (Including respiratory infections - covid).
Tools to improve our fluid intake habits (A topic that I love and is very useful).
The information present within the water (It's amazing!).
I hope you find the information that interests you the most on the subject.
The more information we have, the better decisions we make.
Some benefits and functions of water
Blood is 80% water. It transports all the nutrients that all the cells of our body need.
It helps us eliminate waste from the body, it purifies us.
It helps reduce or eliminate the side effects of some medications.
It is useful to regulate our temperature. When we are in hot weather, water goes to our surface to evaporate through the skin and through our breath.
It makes our skin healthier, smoother and more resistant.
It lubricates and cushions the joints so they work better. It also makes our muscles work more efficiently.
Water prevents constipation and urinary tract infections.
Water protects organs and tissues such as the brain and the spinal cord, among others. It also favours its proper functioning.
It participates in most of the chemical reactions of the organism.
When there is not enough water in our body we are dehydrated, and all organs and cells are affected.
Healthy food and water for the body
To understand the importance of drinking water and eating healthy, I will make a comparison between our body and an aquarium. Aquariums generally have a filter that helps keep the water cleaner, for a longer period of time, so that the fish are in a good environment. Because we love our fish so much, we feed them every day, they use the nutrients and then produce waste. But even if the filter is great, it is necessary to change the water periodically, otherwise toxic products will accumulate, and the fish can die.
Something similar happens in our body. There are several mechanisms that help us detoxify, but it is important to help it a little by “changing the water”, choosing foods of the best possible quality and limiting toxic products.
How much water does our body need?
A baby between 1 month and 1 year needs approximately 100-150 milliliters per kilo per day. So if it weighs 10 kilos, it needs about 1000 ml of fluids, which it gets mainly through breast milk or formula. Afterwards, the water will also be contained in other drinks and foods.
Between 1 year and 8 years of age, the need for 100ml per kilo per day is maintained. Then, between the ages of 9 and 18, the requirements are about 50 ml per kilo per day.
Adults need about half of what a baby needs, approximately between 30 and 50ml per kilo per day. This need depends on how much physical activity we do, the environment, how much water we lose with sweat, whether we are sick or not, etc. For example, taking 30ml / kg / day, a 70kg woman needs about 2100ml a day which translates into about eight 250ml glasses of water, which is the size of the ones we usually have in our homes. From here we obtain the famous 8 glasses per day that are generally recommended. It is also important to consider that the solid foods we eat also have water, some more than others. Therefore we can also “eat water”. It is mainly found in fruits and vegetables.
Of particular note are the drinks with sugar or sweeteners, colas, coffee, tea, and other fluids with caffeine and alcohol. They can make us lose more fluids. Therefore, it is not recommended to depend on these drinks to be hydrated.
There are conditions that require strict control of water intake such as heart failure, kidney failure, dialysis, liver failure, or oedema (water retention). Ask your doctor about it.
Hydration in various conditions
Water and respiratory infections
The most common cause of respiratory infections are viruses, and of these the most fashionable is COVID-19. Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections (not viruses), and these can sometimes develop during or following viral infections.
Fever is a defense mechanism of our body because bugs don’t like temperatures above 37ºC, so it is a strategy to fight them. Fever makes us sweat and lose water, dehydrates the body and the brain, making us feel even worse due to dehydration. When we have a respiratory tract infection, the lining or mucous membranes of our nose and respiratory tract lose water and become dry. By drinking water we feel a little better and we keep our lining moist, favouring a faster recovery of the inflamed surface.
The phlegm or mucus that we produce in the respiratory tract is a defense mechanism to protect the linings and grab dust, toxins, bacteria and viruses, so they can be eliminated from the body. When we are dehydrated, the phlegm produced in the body is thicker and stickier, and this makes it difficult for the cilia in the lining to remove it (The cilia are extensions on the surface of cells. To imagine them, let’s think of many fingertips in the surface of the mucous membranes that rhythmically push the mucus out, like doing “the wave” in a football stadium). The thicker the mucus, the more difficult it is to remove. The result is that phlegm accumulates in the nose, sinuses and lower airways (trachea, bronchi, lungs), and bugs such as bacteria and viruses accumulate in it, sometimes causing more important and long lasting infections. By keeping the phlegm fluid and the mucous membranes hydrated, we prevent it from accumulating, especially in the lungs, where it is more difficult to remove with the cough. Water is the best cough syrup that exists and helps us protect ourselves by eliminating phlegm with trapped bugs and promoting the recovery of our tissues.
Water and urine
As mentioned, water helps us eliminate waste from the body and a fundamental instrument in this sense is urine. The kidneys give us clues to how much water we are drinking. Check the color of your urine. If it is transparent or the color is light, you are drinking enough fluids. When the water level is low, the kidneys try to save it and to do this they concentrate the urine. If your urine is darker, like apple juice, you need to drink more water. Adequate hydration prevents urinary infections (very common are cystitis, bladder infections) and kidney stones . If you feel thirsty, you need to drink water. Thirst is like the alarm light on the dashboard of your car. It is better not to depend on thirst and stay well hydrated, it is better to drink to quench it, and then drink a couple more glasses of water.
Water and exercise
When practicing physical activity it is important to drink more water to make up for the loss of fluids. Drink at least a couple of glasses of water an hour before doing physical activity. While you exercise, drink small sips, as dehydration causes the muscles to get tired faster. After finishing your routine, drink another 2 glasses of water to rehydrate. If physical activity lasts more than an hour and is very intense, fluids with electrolytes are recommended. Be careful with commercial sports drinks, they have sugar that can promote weight gain, risk of diabetes and obesity, an unhealthy diet, and dental problems especially in children. It is better to drink more water so that we do not get thirsty.
Water during pregnancy and breastfeeding
The volume of blood increases 40% during pregnancy, and more fluids are also needed for the making of amniotic fluid, where the baby “swims”. Water promotes general well-being during pregnancy. It helps dilute and eliminate waste products, preventing constipation, and reducing the possibility of having urinary infections. A pregnant woman needs to drink more than the recommended 8 glasses so that she and the baby are well hydrated. Swelling of the ankles and hands during pregnancy is not a sign to decrease water intake. This can happen normally during pregnancy, or it can mean that the body retains a lot of salts, in which case drinking more water will make it worse. It is important to be careful with your salt intake and if necessary consult your doctor.
As for breastfeeding, breast milk is the source of water and nutrients for the baby. It is recommended to drink a glass of water before each feed.
Water, constipation and gastroenteritis
The number of people who have constipation is impressive. All of us, at some point in our lives, have had an episode of difficulty going to the toilet. Constipation occurs more frequently in children and older adults. The colon (large intestine) is an organ that regulates fluids in the body. It absorbs 90% of the water in the digestive tract. If we do not drink enough water, the colon steals it from the waste to return it to the body, and consequently the stool without water becomes hard. Sometimes stools are literally like stones! Fiber is very important for bowel movement, but people who eat a lot of fiber without drinking enough water are at higher risk of developing constipation. Fiber is like a sponge that absorbs water, it expands like foam, and it stimulates the intestine to work and push the content to eliminate it. The more water you drink, the less constipation problems you will have. And you’ll enjoy going to the toilet.
Gastroenteritis is common at all ages and apart from fever and general malaise, diarrhea and / or vomiting may occur, so many fluids and salts are lost. Most bowel infections are caused by viruses. In case of diarrhea and vomiting, fluid intake is essential. It is recommended to take sips every 5-10 minutes and a glass of water after each episode of diarrhea or vomiting. If you can’t get a full glass due to nausea and vomiting, continue sipping. Sometimes electrolyte solutions are needed to replace the salts, and an astringent diet is also very important. If necessary, consult your doctor.
Water and the brain
Water is essential for brain health. While it is in the body, the brain is made up of 70-80% water. If a brain is examined outside the body, it is dehydrated, and 60% of it's weight is fat (that’s why eating healthy fats is essential!). If the brain does not have enough water, it does not work well. Dehydration causes lack of concentration, slow thinking, fatigue, headaches. This happens even more after physical or mental activity, especially in hot weather. Studies have indicated that losing 2% of body weight in fluids reduces our physical and mental performance by 25%.
Water and travel
Hydration is essential when traveling by land or air. When flying by plane: the cabin has a humidity that varies between 1% and 15%! This causes the airways to dry out and the body tries to moisten them again by expanding water. When you travel, especially on long flights, your nose and mouth get dry, and sometimes people feel tired and have less clarity of mind. What happens is that one is dehydrating. In addition, we do not move much, and this can promote circulatory problems and constipation. It is advisable to drink a couple of glasses of water 30 minutes or an hour before flying. It is also convenient to drink fluids during the flight, even having small sips of water periodically. There are people who also apply a few drops of saline solution to the nose to hydrate the mucosa.
For long trips by car, bus or train, drinking water is always important, especially in hot weather.
Tools to improve our hydration habits
The topic of changing habits fascinates me. Changing our habits positively can change our lives. As you have seen, the 8 glasses of water a day have been mentioned several times. When it comes to putting it into practice, it is easier said than done. We must create a habit, and the easiest way to create them is ONE STEP AT A TIME. Here are some tips that may be useful.
Water at sight
The environment where we find ourselves in is important, and it influences our behavior and habits. It is a technique that supermarkets use to sell: the more a product is at sight, the more people buy that product. This technique can be used to optimize our fluid intake. Put bottles of water in various places in your house or wherever you are, so it is AT SIGHT. If the number of bottles of water in the environment increases, we drink more water. Our behavior changes naturally, without the need for great effort or motivation.
Link the new habit to one you already have
If we link a new habit to one that we already have, it is easier to incorporate it into our day-to-day life. The simpler the new habit, the better. You choose the habit to which you want to connect hydration.
For example:
Have a glass of water on your bedside table and take a sip when you wake up or before you go to sleep. If you take the sip, you are satisfied. If you drink a little bit more than usual, that’s great; if you have the whole glass of water, wonderful, it’s extra.
Drink a sip of water after going to the toilet. If you drink a little more or the whole glass of water, great, it’s extra.
When you take a break from work or study, have a sip of water. If you take the sip, you are satisfied. If you drink a little more or the whole glass of water, great, it’s extra.
Water with meals and how to eat
Drink a glass of water 15-30 minutes before meals. Try not to swallow the food with water and avoid eating fast, without chewing much. The body produces fluids to digest food, such as saliva, gastric juices, and other fluids released in the small intestine. Digestion begins in the mouth, therefore it is very important not only what you eat but also HOW IT IS EATEN. Try chewing for a count of 10-20 seconds with a single bite at each meal (Later on, when you get into the habit, you can do it with more bites). You will notice how the texture and flavour change, you will enjoy the food more. When food passes into the stomach and gut, these organs will be able to fulfill their function of digesting and assimilating nutrients more efficiently. It will be easier for your body to determine the amount of food it needs and it will give you signals when it is full and you have had enough. There will be less acid reflux, less bloating and less constipation.
In the book The 4 Pillar Plan, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee recommends this scheme:
Drink 2 glasses of water when you get up in the morning.
When you get hungry in the middle of the morning or mid-afternoon, have a glass of water instead of a snack.
At work it is better to take a short break every hour, get up, move and drink some water.
Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before main meals.
Set an alarm on your cell phone 3 times a day to remind yourself to drink some water.
Add a slice of lemon or orange to the water for some flavour. (It could also be a bit of juice, or cucumber and peppermint for example).
Take a 500-600ml bottle of water with you. If you drink one bottle throughout the morning and one in the afternoon, you would be largely complying with your hydration requirements.
Information within water
Emotions, the environment, words, music, images, among other things, affect the intrinsic characteristics of the water. The shape of water crystals changes depending on the information it is exposed to. Bad environmental conditions or lack of harmony makes the water disorganized and chaotic. Vice versa, water assumes marvelous geometric structures when it is in harmony. Take a look at these water crystal images obtained by Dr. Masaru Emoto.
Can you imagine what happens when we are in a bad mood or in a hostile environment? We are between 55 and 90% water …
By putting positive words on the water bottles, sacred symbols, positive images or harmonic geometric figures (such as the flower of life), the water crystals assume harmonic forms. Likewise, meditation, prayer, breathing techniques, sleeping well, eating correctly, doing physical activity, and maintaining good social relationships, are beneficial actions for the water in your body. Everything adds up to generate balance and harmony in ourselves, and consequently in our environment.
Best wishes!
“Water has memory and carries within it our thoughts and prayers. As you yourself are water, no matter where you are, your prayers will be carried to the rest of the world”.
Dr. Masaru Emoto
Disclaimer
Medical disclaimer
The information I provide on this page should be considered an informational service only and does not replace a face-to-face visit with a healthcare professional.
I recommend making decisions for your health after proper investigation and with the advice of a qualified health professional.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or if you have any medical condition, consult your health professional before using products present in the content of the page.
Likewise, the content is not a substitute for a physician’s judgment of the appropriateness or risks of a procedure or condition for a given patient.
I will do my best to provide you with information that can help you make your own health care decisions and healthy habits.
Comments