Think blistering summer temperatures. Your body is one big perspiring lump. But splash your face with cold water and you're instantly refreshed. Moreover, nothing beats a glass of water to quench your thirst - even in winter.
Water is essential to life even when temperatures aren't sizzling. It is the basis for every chemical reaction in the body. We can go for weeks without food but without water we are food for worms within a few days. Only air is more vital when talking seconds to survive. Now since drinking water in Malta is readily at hand - the horror of ongoing water shortages back in the 1970s and 1980s are a squashed memory - no one here is likely to die of thirst. Nevertheless, quite a few of us go about life being dehydrated without realising it.
This type of dehydration will not have us rushed to hospital. Yet not drinking enough water taxes the body and the mind for it dents our immune system and reduces our concentration. People who drink too little water are likely to suffer toxic overload meaning the liver and kidneys are not able to process and flush out poisons from their system. These poisons pile up through the course of digestion even of the healthiest foods, use of make-up and hair dyes as well as the nasties of alcohol, junk food, additives or drugs. The result is a list of woes: Headaches, constipation, lethargy, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, dry skin, premature wrinkles and an increased susceptibility to stress. Constantly nibbling is another good indicator of dehydration because relentless hunger pangs signify a parched body.
How much we need to drink on a daily basis is not so clear cut since "experts" themselves do not agree. Read through several articles in magazines or look up any website and you will come across recommendations that range from 1.5 to two or even three litres per day. Confusing to say the least! Yet, these divergent opinions also point to the need of taking a number of variables well into account. The standard of six to eight glasses of water seems to be the most reasonable and often cited target to our water intake. For through urination, perspiration, salivating and breathing we secrete about 1.5 litres of water a day though precisely how much fluid we need to consume depends on our physical build and lifestyle as well as the environment. People who lead active lives obviously need to drink more than couch potatoes. However, we ought to reach out for that extra glass of water if we spend our days cooled off or warmed up by an AC. Passing water is our best guide - pale straw-coloured urine indicates that we are well hydrated.
But like an obsession, drinking large quantities of water can go too far. Moreover, bingeing on water can be dangerous, even lethal. The death of Jennifer Strange, the Californian woman who took part in a water-drinking contest three weeks ago and died of water intoxication soon after she got home, not only illustrates the folly of those taking part in such competitions, but also the unscrupulous machinations of the organisers who have no qualms in exploiting people's weaknesses and putting their lives at risk, all in the name of fun and triumph.
Drinking too much water eventually overtaxes the kidneys because they will be unable to cope with removing the excess amounts from the body. As a result, the blood becomes more dilute with low salt concentrations. "If you drink too much water it lowers the concentration of salt in your blood so that it is lower than the concentration of salt in cells," confirms Prof. Robert Forrest, a consultant in clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. In the most extreme cases, drinking too much water can cause the brain to swell which leads to the inability to breathe and death. Confusion and headaches occurring very soon after taking too much water are warning symptoms. However, these could be delayed if the intestine absorbs the water more slowly. It clearly follows that people who suffer from kidney trouble are more prone to water intoxication. But they are not alone.
People taking ecstasy are also highly vulnerable because the drug makes them crave buckets of water while stepping up the release of anti-diuretic hormones. As a result, more and more water is gulped down but cannot be flushed out as urine. If diagnosed in time, water intoxication is treated by giving patients diuretics to help them get rid of the excessive water or they may be given drugs to combat the swelling caused by the water load. "If" is the key word here given that the symptoms of water intoxication are at times taken for and misdiagnosed as drug abuse.
Unfortunately, the hazards of drinking too much or too little water are part of a more convoluted equation. The awful dilemma is the quality of the water we drink. Thankfully, a filter is a common kitchen appliance and has long been competing, possibly outshining, the sale of mineral water. Bottled water also comes in oxygenated and vitamin enriched varieties for gym-goers and dieters respectively while celebs dangle their small bottles of water like an essential fashion accessory.
We all know that H2O is the chemical registration. But the host of naturally occurring trace minerals, bacteria plus chemicals oozing from all sorts of inorganic fertilisers, car fumes, air-borne pollutants, sewage plants and industrial waste make the compound we drink much more complex. Moreover, some chemicals come from the actual processing of water, while others, particularly lead, are picked up from old water pipes. So it is good to hammer home that we are fully responsible for all this contamination.
Oddly, if you think bottled water is the safer option, think again. In Europe standards for factory-bottled water are much lower than for tap water. Luckily, most of us have the good sense to steer clear from drinking water from a hot tap (hot water dissolves heavy metals more readily than cold) and to let the water run a couple of minutes to avoid drinking the residue accumulated in the water pipes.
Filtered water is the healthiest option - but once again not any filter will do. Some jug filters only remove the taste of chlorine when we need one that removes heavy metals, bacteria and chemicals while leaving calcium and magnesium. These two minerals ensure healthy skin and bones, and are known to reduce the risk of heart failure and strokes.
Hard water is healthier than soft because it contains more of these minerals which makes distilled water a big no-no. Soft water is a misnomer since it is more corrosive, meaning it is more likely to absorb poisonous metals from water pipes.
Conclusion? Head for the filtered kitchen sink for health on tap.
How to achieve your daily water intake
• Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. • Wait at least half an hour before breakfast. • Sip another glass mid-morning, more if it's hot or if you're working in AC conditions. • Drink another glass at least half an hour before lunch and another an hour after lunch. • Teatime cries out for a cuppa but a glass of water is a perfect substitute. • Reach out for more water on summer afternoons even if you don't hit the beach or gym. • Your evening glass of water once again should precede your evening meal by 30 minutes. • Last glass just before you go to bed.
Water is essential to life even when temperatures aren't sizzling. It is the basis for every chemical reaction in the body. We can go for weeks without food but without water we are food for worms within a few days. Only air is more vital when talking seconds to survive. Now since drinking water in Malta is readily at hand - the horror of ongoing water shortages back in the 1970s and 1980s are a squashed memory - no one here is likely to die of thirst. Nevertheless, quite a few of us go about life being dehydrated without realising it.
This type of dehydration will not have us rushed to hospital. Yet not drinking enough water taxes the body and the mind for it dents our immune system and reduces our concentration. People who drink too little water are likely to suffer toxic overload meaning the liver and kidneys are not able to process and flush out poisons from their system. These poisons pile up through the course of digestion even of the healthiest foods, use of make-up and hair dyes as well as the nasties of alcohol, junk food, additives or drugs. The result is a list of woes: Headaches, constipation, lethargy, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, dry skin, premature wrinkles and an increased susceptibility to stress. Constantly nibbling is another good indicator of dehydration because relentless hunger pangs signify a parched body.
How much we need to drink on a daily basis is not so clear cut since "experts" themselves do not agree. Read through several articles in magazines or look up any website and you will come across recommendations that range from 1.5 to two or even three litres per day. Confusing to say the least! Yet, these divergent opinions also point to the need of taking a number of variables well into account. The standard of six to eight glasses of water seems to be the most reasonable and often cited target to our water intake. For through urination, perspiration, salivating and breathing we secrete about 1.5 litres of water a day though precisely how much fluid we need to consume depends on our physical build and lifestyle as well as the environment. People who lead active lives obviously need to drink more than couch potatoes. However, we ought to reach out for that extra glass of water if we spend our days cooled off or warmed up by an AC. Passing water is our best guide - pale straw-coloured urine indicates that we are well hydrated.
But like an obsession, drinking large quantities of water can go too far. Moreover, bingeing on water can be dangerous, even lethal. The death of Jennifer Strange, the Californian woman who took part in a water-drinking contest three weeks ago and died of water intoxication soon after she got home, not only illustrates the folly of those taking part in such competitions, but also the unscrupulous machinations of the organisers who have no qualms in exploiting people's weaknesses and putting their lives at risk, all in the name of fun and triumph.
Drinking too much water eventually overtaxes the kidneys because they will be unable to cope with removing the excess amounts from the body. As a result, the blood becomes more dilute with low salt concentrations. "If you drink too much water it lowers the concentration of salt in your blood so that it is lower than the concentration of salt in cells," confirms Prof. Robert Forrest, a consultant in clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. In the most extreme cases, drinking too much water can cause the brain to swell which leads to the inability to breathe and death. Confusion and headaches occurring very soon after taking too much water are warning symptoms. However, these could be delayed if the intestine absorbs the water more slowly. It clearly follows that people who suffer from kidney trouble are more prone to water intoxication. But they are not alone.
People taking ecstasy are also highly vulnerable because the drug makes them crave buckets of water while stepping up the release of anti-diuretic hormones. As a result, more and more water is gulped down but cannot be flushed out as urine. If diagnosed in time, water intoxication is treated by giving patients diuretics to help them get rid of the excessive water or they may be given drugs to combat the swelling caused by the water load. "If" is the key word here given that the symptoms of water intoxication are at times taken for and misdiagnosed as drug abuse.
Unfortunately, the hazards of drinking too much or too little water are part of a more convoluted equation. The awful dilemma is the quality of the water we drink. Thankfully, a filter is a common kitchen appliance and has long been competing, possibly outshining, the sale of mineral water. Bottled water also comes in oxygenated and vitamin enriched varieties for gym-goers and dieters respectively while celebs dangle their small bottles of water like an essential fashion accessory.
We all know that H2O is the chemical registration. But the host of naturally occurring trace minerals, bacteria plus chemicals oozing from all sorts of inorganic fertilisers, car fumes, air-borne pollutants, sewage plants and industrial waste make the compound we drink much more complex. Moreover, some chemicals come from the actual processing of water, while others, particularly lead, are picked up from old water pipes. So it is good to hammer home that we are fully responsible for all this contamination.
Oddly, if you think bottled water is the safer option, think again. In Europe standards for factory-bottled water are much lower than for tap water. Luckily, most of us have the good sense to steer clear from drinking water from a hot tap (hot water dissolves heavy metals more readily than cold) and to let the water run a couple of minutes to avoid drinking the residue accumulated in the water pipes.
Filtered water is the healthiest option - but once again not any filter will do. Some jug filters only remove the taste of chlorine when we need one that removes heavy metals, bacteria and chemicals while leaving calcium and magnesium. These two minerals ensure healthy skin and bones, and are known to reduce the risk of heart failure and strokes.
Hard water is healthier than soft because it contains more of these minerals which makes distilled water a big no-no. Soft water is a misnomer since it is more corrosive, meaning it is more likely to absorb poisonous metals from water pipes.
Conclusion? Head for the filtered kitchen sink for health on tap.
How to achieve your daily water intake
• Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. • Wait at least half an hour before breakfast. • Sip another glass mid-morning, more if it's hot or if you're working in AC conditions. • Drink another glass at least half an hour before lunch and another an hour after lunch. • Teatime cries out for a cuppa but a glass of water is a perfect substitute. • Reach out for more water on summer afternoons even if you don't hit the beach or gym. • Your evening glass of water once again should precede your evening meal by 30 minutes. • Last glass just before you go to bed.