The Importance of Water
Many people know that water is important for hydration, but may not always understand the many roles it plays in the body. I also get a lot of questions like ‘what if I don’t like water?’ or ‘Does coffee/tea count toward your water needs?’ Lets answer some of these and get into the nitty gritty about water.
Water is the most abundant macronutrient in your body. It has many roles, one of which is to remove waste products and toxins from your organs. In a world where clients come into me daily talking about juice cleanses, using activated charcoal, participating in hot yoga - all to cleanse the body of toxins. Just so you know, most of that is hype and not evidence based. But you know what is evidence based - drinking enough water. Simply getting your recommended intake of water per day will do all of that for you…..for free! Its the main role of water in the body.
Some other roles of water include aiding in bowel health and preventing constipation. Many people live with constipation, which can be marked by less than daily bowel movements and bowel movements that are difficult to pass. Water is absorbed lower down in the gut, which means if you don’t drink enough water then the body will absorb as much as it can from whats present in the gut creating a harder stool to pass. (For a visual - Think of a sponge which is being wrung out of water.)
Water aides with blood volume and blood pressure. For many people with low blood pressure, the treatment is to drink plenty of water because it can increase your blood volume and help improve blood pressure. Water also flushes out your kidneys/bladder/urinary tract, which is important for people who may easily get urinary tract infections.
Other roles of water include lubricating joints and regulating body temperature. Most people know that when they are hot the body cools itself by sweating. However, in order to do this effectively you need to be in good hydration status before sweating or engaging in activities in hot weather, AND THEN you also need to replace the water that is lost through sweat.
So how much water do you need? This can depend on your body size, gender, physical activity level and health conditions (ask your doctor if you’re living with a health condition that affects your heart, kidney, or electrolyte balance). Most healthy adults need minimum 72 oz (approximately 9 glasses of water per day) or in European measurements 2 Litres/day (4 pint glasses). While all forms of fluid aide toward your fluid needs, the percentage of the beverage that is made up of water changes. For example milk and juice, they will count toward fluid needs but have less water in them than a glass of water. And many of the individuals I work with are not meeting these fluid requirements or are meeting them through drinking high amounts of caffeinated beverages (i.e. coffee, black teas, or sodas).
So why is important to drink water in addition to caffeinated beverages? For starters, you have to understand how caffeine works in the body. Caffeine is a stimulant which tells your gastrointestinal tract to speed up (if you’ve ever heard the phrase ‘coffee makes you poop’) and also tells your kidneys to excrete urine. This means that caffeine has a de-hydrating effect on the body. You will have more water loss through your bowel motions and urine than a non-caffeinated beverage.
If you find water boring, then jazz it up with frozen fruit, lemon, cucumber, or herbs (like mint). You can also add sugar free cordials to it for a small bit of flavouring. If you’re like me and love a hot cup in the winter, then try hot water with lemon and 1/2 tsp honey. Its more hydrating than caffeinated teas and has the same amount of calories as a coffee or tea with milk. Or you can switch to an herbal non-caffeinated tea like camomile. Whether you like hot, room temperature, or extra cold water, the important message is to drink water.
