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Water, the forgotten nutrient
2006-03-11 10:38:41
By Robert Odundo
It is unfortunate that most of us do not get enough water, an oil to the body engine, and a valuable blueprint that makes up 75 percent of our body weight and necessary for all vital functions of the body.
It’s the magic lubricant that makes everything in our body work. You can go without food for weeks but without water, you’d die of dehydration in a few days.
As water becomes a slippery commodity in the country as a result of persistent drought and DAWASCO/DAWASO wrangles, I for one think this commodity is life and requires no politics.
Remember, in the real African communities, no one could be denied water unlike the situation we are experiencing nowadays.
Water is needed for home use by people, animals and industrially, but my main focus is pegged on direct human consumption.
With the current power ration hitting the country, how water will be pumped to people in dire need worries many families. Unlike other nutrients, there isn’t a specific daily recommendation for water intake because of the variability in the climate in which we all live, physical activity, age, state of health and body size.
A consultation I made with Tonny, a medical doctor at Muhimbili National Hospital: ’Men generally need at least12 cups of water daily while women need around 9.
This seems like alarge amount until you consider how much water your body loses daily -approximately 10 to 12 cups of water in urine, through sweat and via stool and respiration,’ he said
Seeing how water sachets sell like hot cakes in Dar, I made another move and talked to passengers and met an intern by the name Mihayo who had this to say, ’The concentration and colour of your urine will tell you whether you are taking in enough. As you become dehydrated, your kidney reabsorbs as much water as possible, which concentrates the urine, making it darker.
The reverse happens when you are adequately hydrated, so it remains clear and diluted.’
’Urinating every two to four hours is normal. Record the number of glasses of water you drink over a 3-day period. You’ll be amazed.
Most of us think we are drinking far more water than we actually do.
Three to four glasses is what most people usually take, far short of the 6 to 8 required,’ he added.
In hot conditions like Dar, thirst is the body’s way of telling you it needs liquids. If your body lacks water, your brain receives a signal that makes you feel thirsty. But this happens late, after you are already a little dehydrated.
You’ve already lost one to three per cent of your total body water by the time the sensation of thirsty kicks in.
Among athletes especially, thirst can be blunted by exercise and overridden by the mind.
The thirst mechanism in young children and older adults may also lack the sensitivity needed to match their fluid needs. They may not feel thirsty even though their bodies need fluid.
Reading scientific journals, I realized that dehydration- the severe lack of water, can occur in both an acute and a chronic form.
Acute dehydration is the type many of us have seen on the sports field when athletes suffer cramps due to over-exercising in hot conditions.
My observation brought me to the fact that chronic dehydration is much less obvious and is what most of us suffer from.
It occurs over time when we drink less water than we need in which case the body will do its best to hold on to the water it has and will adjust by becoming less sensitive to thirst.
It’ll signal the brain that we do not need water, thereby reducing our thirst and perpetuating the dehydration cycle.
Then we begin to get symptoms like dry skin, muscular aches and pains, fatigue, headaches and constipation. Water loss of 9-12per cent of ones total body weight can be fatal.
’We need not to be rocket scientist to note the importance of drinking plenty of water, actually also essential for weight loss. It fills you up, so you eat less.
If the body is not properly hydrated, metabolism slows down and fatigue sets in, hence exercised routines are not completed.
If sugar-containing sodas or juices are substituted for water, more calories are consumed negating the calorie-burning effects of the exercise,’ said Jonas Nkwama, a UDSM student from Mbeya.
Most of your fluid needs should therefore be met by drinking plain water and it does not matter whether this is tap or bottled water, it’s really just a matter of taste and your pocket.
The physiological effects of drinking plain water is not the same as drinking beverages that contain water like juices, sodas, coffee and tea. What does not count as water are caffeinated teas, coffee and carbonated beverages, as well as alcohol.
Every time we drink coffee, soda, diet soda, or alcohol, we increase our water need because these type of beverages act as diuretics-they cause you to lose water so limit caffeine to two servings a day.
As a general rule, drink one glass of water half an hour before each meal and a similar amount two and a half hours after each meal with an extra glass taken before the heaviest meal or before going to bed.
Forcing the body to work with limited amount of water is like trying to wash a sinkfull of dishes with a cupful of water. Lack of enough water is the number one cause of physical fatigue and under-performance during exercise.
Load up on water about two hours before your workout or game. Cool water between 40-50ºF is best.
Consume 2-3 glasses. This ensures you are well hydrated and still allows time to urinate any excess. Follow this with one cup of water about 15 minutes before the event.
Plain water is best. Sugar and electrolyte4s in fluids slow emptying from the stomach. Do not trust your sense of thirst, drink ahead of it. Slip water during the walkout -about a glass of water every 15-20 minutes.
The body cannot absorb more than about one cup every 20 minutes.
It helps cool the body. If you don’t, as body water decreases, your core body temperature increases, hindering your performance. When cooling down, you should begin drinking again - another 2-3 glasses over the next two hours.
Drinking too much too fast can cause cramping and stomach upset.
One way to know how much your body needs during and after workout is by weighing yourself before and after you exercise. Approximately three-quarter of your weight lost is water. Replace two cups water for every one-pound lost.
’Like all the other healthy habits, drinking more water takes practice. I start the morning right by drinking a glass of water as soon as I wake up - before coffee or tea.
This will flush my system. I carry a water bottle wherever I go and drink from it frequently. For every cup of caffeinated coffee, tea or soda, drink a cup of water, I switch to decaffeinated coffee, tea, or sodas,’ remarked Zigi, a resident of Mikocheni Kwa Warioba.
My prayer to you is that order water with lemon in restaurants. Sip it instead of a soda while waiting for your meal. If you are hot, cold water will cool your body better than room temperature water.
Some people complain about the taste of water and state that it is hard to drink the recommended servings. Try adding a slice of lime, lemon or orange or even a fresh spring of mint to make it more desirable or use a water filter or drink bottled water.
If you are at home, keep a half-gallon pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Drink from it all day until it is empty.
Drink a glass of water or juice per hour of airline flight.
This helps to prevent dehydration and minimizes jet lag.
The taste of water may be bland, but its function isn’t.
Water is 100 per cent natural, 100 per cent pure, low-sodium, calorie-free, fat-free, and cholesterol-free-a perfect beverage. Be good to your self. Start enjoying nature’s super fluid today. Water is life.
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