Drinking, The Fountain of Youth
Staying hydrated may slow aging. Researchers followed people for 30 years to see the effects of good hydration. They found that low water intake is linked to disease. Staying hydrated even reduces the risk of heart and lung disease, resulting in longer life.
Drink water
About 20% of our total water intake comes from our food. The rest has to come from drinking. Women should drink about 2 L a day and men 2—3 L. This is for normal activity levels. For higher levels of activity or in hot weather, more fluid is required. Don’t drink more than 1 L in an hour, as your kidneys can only remove about a litre an hour.
Water management
Kidneys manage water levels. When you get dehydrated, the kidneys carefully preserve as much water as possible. In a dehydrated state, the concentrations of minerals in the blood go up, making the kidneys work harder. On the other hand, when the kidney senses more water than it needs, it easily gets rid of extra water.
Where water goes
Only about a third of the water we take in is peed out. The rest is breathed or sweated out or becomes part of solid waste. If you are active in hot weather, the amount of water you sweat out can drastically increase. Outdoors in a hot, dry climate, you can sweat more than 5 L in one day.
We are water
No life is possible without water. It is required for nearly all bodily processes. Excluding the fat we have stored, our bodies are ¾ water. If you weigh 150 lbs and have 20 lbs of fat in that total, close to 100 lbs of your weight is pure water! We are made of water.
Make water fun again
To keep water from being boring, drink mineral water or add a squeeze of lemon juice to your water. Limit sugary drinks like fruit juice and especially pop, which have a lot of sugar and virtually no nutrients. Keep a glass of water within reach throughout the day to stay hydrated.
