How much water to drink?

How much water we have to drink every day is a question to most of the people. Some say eight glasses and yet others say three liters of water is to be consumed. Doctors say that it is enough to replenish the water that is expended from our body. People are confused at the conflicting views from different quarters. Let us dwell into the issue.

About 2.5 liters of water is spent daily from our body in the form of urine, excreta, sweat, digestion etc. The doctors who are well versed with physiology say that it is enough if the spent water is replenished to maintain the normal level of 68% water in the body for good health. If we take natural food it produces less waste and 2.5 liters of water would be enough to purge it out, with no scope for bad smell from saliva, urine, sweat and mouth.

The food that we are used to presently consist of oil, salt, sugar, spices and many other ingredients to give different tastes. Digestion of this kind of cooked food takes a longer time leaving large undigested matter for excretion. Only 50% of the waste matter goes out of the body with the help of 2.5 liters of water and the rest 50% is deposited in the body. From the accumulated waste inside emanate bad smell from saliva, urine, sweat and mouth. We can observe from this that 2.5 liters of water is not enough to push out the stored waste matter. The odor is the better indicator to denote that whether the water required by the body is sufficient or not. Most of the people suffer from this bad smell.

It is our responsibility to replenish 2.5 liters of water that is spent from the 68% of our body’s water and to keep it clean. To keep it clean we have to take more amount of water.

Let us now think about what amount of water is necessary to meet these two requirements. We would also discuss about the relationship between food and water.The very physiology of human body has given first preference to air, second preference to water and third preference to food. We are aware how important air is for us to live. Our body contains two third of water and one third of matter. It means that the property of the body tells us that two third of importance is to be given for water and one third of importance to food. This is the secret of health.

If a person weighs 70 kilos, water would be 43 kilos of it. The rest of 27 kilos would be the matter created by food (muscles, veins, bones etc.). From morning to night which one we are thinking of more – food or water? Which of them is going more into our body. How many times and how much we eat? How many times and much water is being taken?

Think for a while how we altered the necessities of the body. We have pushed water to the third place that should actually be given second place and gave second place to food instead of keeping it at third place. Ignorance in this regard would not help. In order to maintain the ratio of 2:1 we have to drink water two times more than the food we eat. How simple it is? “Greatest truths are the simplest”.

If we say that one third of food and two third of water how many liters of water is necessary? We need food and water every day according to the physical labor we put in. The people who have to do physically exert need more food. The people whose physical labor is less need less food. How do we decide the quantity of food and water? Basing on the intake of food or intake of water? Since all of us like eating let us first decide the quantity of food and then decide the quantity of water. The amount food intake differs from man to man. The simple answer is two times more water than the amount of food. Right from a teenager of 15 years to a man who is 50 or 60 years normally takes about 2 kilos of food in course of the day. So five to six liters of water would do. Those who put in more physical labor usually consume 2.5 to 3 kilos of food. Such people should take 7.8 liters of water. If we eat more the waste material produced in the body increases. It comes out along with water easily. We have been consuming about 2 to 3 kilos of food but not drinking more water because we did not know about it. Some take 2, 3 glasses of water, some others take 4 glasses and yet others take two or three liters. More food and less water! With less water inside, the waste matter gets solidified and does not move easily.Stagnation leads to disease. In the beginning it is manifested in the form of some ailment and finally it becomes chronic. If the ratio of water intake is proper the body purges out waste material and keeps itself clean. According to the property of the body let us start taking 5,6 liters of water. Out of this, 2.5 liters of water is necessary for the body and the rest of it will be used to
keep clean the 68% of water which body contains.

Now let us start increasing water consumption in the next one or two months while taking the usual quantity of food. You would certainly notice the change and feel better. Then you decide yourself whether to take more water or discontinue. It is the body that shows the result.

Changes that occur with less water

Everyday water from the body is expelled through urine, sweat through skin and breathing. Let us see what amount of water goes out through these forms.

1. 1 to 1.5 liters of water goes out through kidneys in the form of urine.
2. Roughly 600 to 800 ml. of water goes out through skin by way of sweat, some of it visible and some of it is invisible. When sweating is more daily two liters of water goes out.
3. 400 to 500 ml. of water goes out from lungs while we exhale.
4. 100 ml. of water is discharged through ablution.
Hence, we have to replenish the water that is lost every day. Some times, when we suffer from loose bowels and vomiting more water is lost. If the lost water is not replenished immediately it may lead to complications.

When the water level in the body reduces, the extra cellular fluid also reduces resulting in increase in osmotic pressure. Then intra cellular fluid is drawn into extra cellular fluid. Cells, which lost water, would contract. With this the chemical reaction of the cells is affected. The food taken by cells is not converted into energy. Salts like sodium and potassium go out. Quantity of urine also comes down. When water level in the body is reduced most important electrolytes are also lost.

Changes in kidneys

1. There is no change of blood flow to kidneys.
2. Water percentage in the filtered blood by kidneys is reduced.
3. Quantity of urine decreases.
4. Urea, uric acid, creatine, phosphates, waste material-containing nitrogen accumulate in blood.
5. Unless urine is discharged these waste material are not purged out.

Problems with reduction of water level in the body:

We go thirsty and become weak; skin is dry and loses elasticity; eyes dry up. Kidneys discharge their duty properly only if water is taken aplenty. They can purify the blood properly. I heard a specialist in nephrology on television saying that we should take at least four liters of water a day if kidneys are to function efficiently. He also said that nothing helps kidneys better as water does. I have written all this to explain scientifically as what water does to cells. Many people do not understand all these things. Some cannot understand these things unless they are written in detail. In this chapter I tried to explain that there is no harm in taking plenty of water either once in a day or several times a day. When we know the important role played by water in the body we try to consume abundant water. If one knows this he will not look down upon water.

In my next post I will tell you about how much water is to be consumed, how it is to be taken and when it is to be taken.

Changes that occur after intake of water

We take 1 to 1.5 liters of water in the morning as we think it is beneficial. Many people think that blood becomes thinner if that much of water is taken in the morning. They also think that if excess water is taken pressure of blood decreases, kidneys will have a problem. With this misunderstanding they desist from taking water and also discourage others. But this is not true. It has been scientifically proved that there is no harm as such by taking more water.

When we take one or two liters of water on empty stomach it is absorbed by the intestines and stomach within minutes. The water so absorbed by intestines reaches blood. With this plasma is slightly diluted. Even then there is no remarkable change in the osmotic pressure of plasma. Osmotic pressure of plasma comes down to 24 mm Hg from 25 mm Hg. The quantity of blood increases slightly. The changes in the blood after excess water is taken are negligible. Because the water we take mixes up with the 43 liters of water in our body and is dispersed all through the body. There is no change in capillary blood pressure either.

Water from the blood flows into intra cellular fluid when osmotic pressure of blood is decreased, the reason being the osmotic pressure in the intra cellular fluid is more than the osmotic pressure of the blood. Now we know that how water flows from the blood to extra cellular fluid.

Let us know about the inflow of water from extra cellular fluid to intra cellular fluid.

As water flows from blood to extra cellular fluid, sodium and potassium enter into blood. When sodium and potassium enter blood the osmotic pressure in the cells is reduced. Since the osmotic pressure in the cells is more than the intra cellular fluid enters the cells. In this way the water we consume enters all the cells of the body equally.

Now, let us see how kidneys are effected by the excess water we take.

changes in the kidney when 2 liters of water is taken on empty stomach

Kidneys produce 50 ml. of urine per hour in a healthy person. The outer limit of the urine the kidneys can produce is 1300 ml. When this limit is reached production decreases. Likewise when we take more water 1300 ml. urine is produced in one or one and half hours time. There is neither change in the working of kidneys nor in their efficiency or in the percentage of blood, which enters kidneys, or the filtering capacity of the kidneys altered. When urine is produced in more quantity the amount of sodium chloride and urea slightly increase. No material, which is useful to the body, goes out.

Reason for excess urination
Generally while filtering the blood kidneys absorb the necessary water and discharge excess water in the form of urine. When we take more water the filtered water is not absorbed again. So, that excess water goes out in the form of urine. Therefore, our kidneys have the great capability to retain water that is necessary and discharge the excess water.

We learnt that excess water is useful to the body and there is no harm whatsoever.In my next post I will tell you about the harm to the body when there is less amount of water.

Water in the body

Water occupies 68 per cent of the body. Water is there in and around the cells. The water in the cells is called intra cellular fluid. Extra cellular fluid exists in different parts of the body in various forms.
1. Plasma.
2. Interstitial fluid, which is in between the cells.
3. Cerebrospinal fluid-- fluid in brain and spine.
4. Serous fluid, which is in the outer layers of lungs and peritoneal fluid in the
stomach and peritoneum covering the intestines.
5. Synovial fluid-- the fluid in the gaps between joints.
6. Digestive juices.
7. Urine.

Extra, Intra Cellular Fluid

Now let us also talk about fluid inside the cells. The whole body is the sum total of several cells. The water content in the cells of different parts of the body varies. The water content in the muscles, muscles of heart, brain and lungs is roughly 70 to 80 per cent of the weight of the organs. Liver and skin contain 70 per cent of water and bones 20 per cent. If the body weight of a person is 70 kilograms he carries 43 liters of water. Of this, extra cellular fluid is 11 liters and intra cellular fluid 32 liters. Likewise, a woman whose body weight is 57 kilos has 29 liters of water. Out of this, extra cellular fluid is 8.5 liters and intra cellular fluid 20.5 liters.
Now, let us see how the fluids in and around the cells are regulated.

Regulation of intra and extra cellular fluid

Sodium and potassium balance water level in the extra cellular and intra cellular fluids. It is because of these salts the cells get the energy to pump in and pump out water from the cells.
Intra cellular fluid contains less sodium and more of potassium.
Sodium=20 mg/ liter
Potassium=110 mg./liter
As against this, extra cellular fluid contains more sodium and less potassium.
Sodium= 143mg./liter
Potassium=5mg./liter
The thin membrane around the cell will be instrumental in sending water, sodium and potassium in and out of the cells. Through this membrane inflow and outflow is regulated.

Relation between salt and water

When sodium content in the blood is more, osmotic pressure of blood increases and intestinal fluids enter the blood. At the same time excess salt in blood joins the intra cellular fluid. When salt comes in, the water in the cells is dragged out of the cells. When cells lose water chemical reactions in the cells is hampered. Cells lose the capacity to purge out waste material. We observe swelling of joints and face in those who consume more salt. The reason is the intra cellular fluid in the blood comes out.This manifests as edema. When there is excess salt in the blood kidneys try to purge it out with frequent urination.
Water flow from blood to cells and vice versa is a continuous process. The water we consume is absorbed into blood through intestines. Osmotic pressure is responsible for inflow of water from extra cellular fluid to intra cellular fluid and vice versa.

Let us know about osmotic pressure.

Osmotic pressure

The pressure which helps flow of low-density liquid into high-density liquid when a thin membrane separates them is called Osmotic Pressure. If blood is a liquid, the matter in between the cells is also liquid. The walls of micro veins separate these two liquids.

I will come up with "changes that takes place after intake of water" in my next post.....

Importance of water

Human body needs three requisites for its smooth functioning - oxygen,water and food in that order.Our first requirement to live is oxygen since we cannot survuvive more than a few minutes without taking oxygen.Water has been ranked as second only to oxygen as essential for life because we can stay for a few days without drinking water.Then comes the food.

Human body is made up of two-thirds of water and one-third of solid matter.The average adult body is 55 to 75% water. A human embryo is more than 80% water. A newborn baby is 74% water.Human survival is dependent on water.

Water is more important than matter for our body and the ratio of 2:1 should be maintained everyday.Every activity in the body is propelled by water. It is the water, which is responsible for two third of activity in the body.

The supply of all-important water to the body helps it to perform its duties perfectly maintaining good health. There is no harm to the body even if we skip food once in a day. The food stored in the body comes handy when we skip food. However, if we do not drink water for some time or for a whole day it triggers serious trouble inside.It is wrong to think that if we drink water once it will be stored for a long time and meets the needs of the body. Water is beneficial only when we take it whenever body needs it. As food is emptied from stomach, water is also emptied from the body from time to time. As we fill the empty stomach with food we must also supply water to the body.

If the body has to get full benefit of the food we eat, it is possible only through water. The benefit to the body from the higher quantity and expensive food we eat is possible if the water we take is adequate. Nowadays man eats many varieties of food and yet his energy is low. If we reduce food intake by 50 per cent we can work more vigorously and can put in more hours of work.Unless we experience it for ourselves we will not know about the benefit of consuming plenty of water.

If we are to understand the need for more water we should know as to where this three fourths of water in our body exists, what form it takes, what it does, what is the difficulty the body faces when water level comes down, how much water is spent in the body, what are the likely symptoms when water level is reduced, the relation between kidneys and water, the relation of water to salt etc.

I will explain you about all these things in my next post "Water in the human body"......