Water and its health value!

Water: Depending on the soil from which it is sourced, water can contain trace amount of mineral such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. That hardly qualifies it to be called a nutrient. But apart from the fact that it is a survival staple (you couldn't live three days without water), water has specific nutritional roles to play. The digestive juices mainly comprise water. Because of the fine balance that the body maintains between sodium and water. If you don’t drink enough fluids the concentration of salt in your blood will increase and you’ll start feel lethargic. And without adequate water intake, your kidneys will not able to dilute urine sufficiently and your body will retain the waste products of metabolism

                For all these reasons (several more), water is the best health tonic you could take! Apart from water itself, you’ll also get liquid replenishment from:

·         Beverages, such as milk soup, fruit juices and herbal teas(Not caffeinated, tea or colas, however: these are diuretics, that is, they draw water out of body)

·         Foods especially those with high water content such as cucumbers, watermelons and cook rice. (except for oils virtually all foods contains water in smaller or bigger amounts)

The recommendation daily amount of fluids ranges between 8 to 10 glasses in a tropical country likes India. Your need is likely to be on higher side if you exercise, work in hot environment, have tendency to perspire profusely, or suffer from constipation. One strategy that may prove helpful in meeting your daily need: Keep 8 to 10 one rupee coin in your pocket of jeans, jacket, shirt or kurta and every time you drink one glass’ worth of fluid, transfer one coin to other pocket.

How do you know whether you’re getting sufficient water? One way to tell is to check the color of your urine. If your urine is pale yellow, you are doing fine; dark yellow means you’re getting less than you need( The exception: it’s perfectly normal for urine to be dark-colored in morning. And of course, some drugs like supplements of vitamins B complex turn urine bright yellow).

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