The Importance of Water

Why is clean water so important?

Two thirds of human body weight is made up of water, water makes of 95% of the brain, 82% of the blood, and 90% of the lungs. Without this important life source one cannot survive.  Lack of water can cause dizziness and weakness because the body needs water to function.  But, what happens if a person drinks water with contaminants in it? Water is also a source of bacteria which can cause diseases such as malaria and other deadly illnesses.  People can easily contract a waterborne disease if they do not have access to clean water to replenish their bodies with or maintain hygiene. Therefore, it is very important for people to have access to purified water. Believe it or not but 780 million people in the world don’t have access to clean water. That means some people don’t have the proper supplies needed to drink or bathe. In fact, “an American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a developing country slum uses for an entire day.”  

Water provides a lubricant to our eyes, joints, and digestion. A person who is very active should drink a lot of water to reduce the chance of joint, knee, or back injury.  Less water causes greater fiction which could lead to damaging one's body.  Another function water provides our bodies with is body temperature regulation. 

How much water should you drink each day?

Well this depends on your activity level and body type.  If you are an athlete, you should be drinking more water than a person who is less active because your body is losing water more quickly through excess perspiration. A person should drink one cup for every 20 pounds of body weight (average is about 8 cups).  Look below at the Daily Water Chart to determine the water intake that's right for you.

Water Dangers

It is essential to replenish our bodies with water each day.  However, it is also important to be cautious about how much we drink during a period of time.  Drinking too much water during a short duration of time may cause water poisoning. Remember that Wee for a Wii radio contest? The participants had to drink a 1/2 pint of water every 15 minutes and the last one to use the restroom won a Wii. This fatal competition led to the death of a mother of three by water poisoning. Water poisoning occurs because there is an imbalance of electrolytes in the body causing the brain to function abnormally. Another dangerous problem that can occur is water intoxication, when cells die due to being over pressurized by the excess water. Both of these dangerous water consumption side effects can be avoided by monitoring one's water intake. Athletes (especially marathon runners), and ecstasy users should be especially cautious of their water intake because often times they are not aware of how much water they are consuming in a short period of time and end up dead. One way people reduce the chance of water poisoning is by consuming sports drinks which have added electrolytes to hydrate the body. Even dogs can be affected by water poisoning, so watch your pets too!