Seems simple enough ... and we've heard it a thousand times. Eight glasses a day is the recommendation we hear most commonly.
So why is this so important and why is something so straight-forward so often forgotten? And why is the magic number "eight" ... all genders, all sizes, all climates, all metabolisms?
Well, for starters us humans are mostly water. Lean muscle tissue is about 75% water, while fat is only around 14%. This accounts for the reason why men are more full of it ... water ... than ladies!
Interestingly enough, this also means that water can account for anywhere from less than half, to more than three-quarters, of our body weight, depending of course on how much lard we are carrying. Sobering thought! But definitely no justification to drink less.
Most adults are somewhere around 50 - 65 percent water ... and that fraction also varies depending on hormones, consumption habits and a whole host of inter-related factors.
And because H2O is so fundamentally important to our physiology, you'd think we'd take our hydration levels a little more seriously?
Well ... we don't (even when we think we do, we forget). Most of us are in a state of chronic dehydration. And most of us have no idea just how serious this is.
In my next post, I'll tell you what this is doing to our bodies. This is one you won't want to miss!
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3 comments:
Are you sure about water? I heard that many African tribes especially in the Kalahari region live on very little water. I have heard this counter view that humans should eat less and drink less and work hard (exercise) and that way the cells in the body learn to be more efficient and have longer life.
Yes...It is really necessary to have enough water a day. It maintains osmotic balance of the body. Great post...Thank you
Pure water
Again, thanks for your comments.
I have no doubt that the san of the Kalahari have adapted to their conditions and are able to function on less water than the average Joe.
Hunts involve running down prey ... a game of attrition where the bushman has the edge because he can carry water and manage heat better than his prey.
Nutritious wild meat free from chemicals ... and fibre-rich wildcrafted plants ... certainly more healthy than a modern calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient diet.
But is less water optimal? I'm tempted to think it's more a reflection of practical reality. Would they drink more if more was readily available ... and if so, would this be the instinctive reaction of a finely-balanced human?
One thing for sure ... we still have a lot to learn. Many thanks!
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