In a hot country like Israel, and especially now during the summer, it is very important to drink water – and a lot. But what, not too much.
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How much water should you drink?
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The official version recommends 8-10 glasses of fluids a day for women, and 10-12 glasses for men. By the way, pregnant women should add two glasses of fluids a day to the daily amount and breastfeeding women – 4 glasses.
What should you drink? Mostly water, but not only. Soft drinks are also considered liquids, but like everything in life – do it in the right amount. This means that it is not healthy to drink too little (because you may feel dehydrated, tired and lack energy), but it is also not recommended to overdo it.
Back to the sources
The water can be obtained from various sources: from drinks, from food – fruits and vegetables – and from the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates. The most recommended drink is of course water and soda is also good.
Fruit juices do contain liquids, but are not recommended due to their high sugar content. Alcohol contains calories, and is therefore considered a food and not a drink.
Coffee contains caffeine which causes excess urine and loss of fluids, therefore drinking coffee not only does not improve the fluid balance in the body but detracts from it.
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The official version recommends 8-10 glasses of fluids a day for women, and 10-12 glasses for men
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Energy boost
According to Tamar Yadin, a clinical dietitian and consultant for the Herbalife company, “Water has many roles. It participates in all cognitive processes in the body and makes up 85 percent of brain tissue. Therefore, when dehydrated, the ability to concentrate decreases and the cognitive ability is impaired.”
In addition, they act as a solvent: they carry food into the cells and waste materials from the cells out of the body. Hence they are essential for the body’s metabolism. Another essential function:- they protect against shocks in the body. Water is in the spinal fluid and joints and prevents friction. Loss of water will cause damage in these areas.”
lost and found
Our body loses a liter and a half of fluids in urine and an additional liter in the breathing process, in sweat and feces. The food provides about 20% of the fluid intake, so it is necessary to drink about 2 liters more to replenish the lost fluids.
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The water content in vegetables is on average 90 percent or even more
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All roads lead
So how do you increase fluid intake? A good way is to eat fresh vegetables and drink smoothies that contain vegetables. The water content in vegetables is on average 90 percent or even more.
Vegetables have many health benefits because they contain vitamins, essential minerals and a variety of important plant compounds, along with dietary fiber.
Another important advantage is that vegetables are satisfying and low-calorie foods, so they can reduce consumption of high-calorie foods.
To benefit from the high water content in vegetables, they must be consumed fresh and close to preparation. Heat treatment such as cooking, steaming and roasting reduces the amount of water greatly.
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Not just water. Tea, juices and smoothies are also measured in the daily fluid intake
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The vegetables richest in liquids are cabbage, zucchini, lettuce, celery, cucumber and tomato – all of them have a liquid content of 95-96 percent. Broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus also contain more than 90 percent liquid and are highly recommended.
Watermelon and orange at the top
Similar to vegetables, fruits also have a high content of fluids, vitamins, minerals, important phytochemicals and dietary fiber. But fruits also contain high amounts of sugar. You can combine fruits in vegetable salads or vegetable-based smoothies, thereby increasing their consumption in a moderate way and benefiting from variety and refreshing flavors.
Fruits rich in liquids: orange, watermelon, kiwi, melon and grapes. Note that many of them contain a lot of sugar, so it is recommended to pay attention to the amounts.
Soup in the middle of summer
Soups are another way to increase fluid intake and add nutrients to the menu. Soup can be a snack or a complete meal, especially if you combine it with vegetables as well as legumes or a meat dish.
It can be eaten cold (vegetable-based gazpacho) or hot, and the possibilities are endless. Prefer homemade soup that contains plenty of vegetables and is low in salt and sodium over soups that can be prepared quickly.
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During an hour of intense physical activity in hot conditions, the body loses at least 1-2 liters of fluid
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During an hour of intense physical activity in hot conditions, the body loses at least 1-2 liters of fluid. At the same time as losing fluids, the body also loses essential salts in sweat for many processes in the body. That is why it is important to restore the lost fluids to the body and help it get rid of the accumulated excess heat.
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Excessive drinking of 18 glasses of water or more can cause “fluid poisoning”
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Exaggerating is not healthy, not even drinking water. Excessive drinking of 18 glasses of water or more can cause “fluid poisoning”. The excess of water causes a dilution in the concentration of blood components, such as sodium and potassium. The cells receive too low a concentration of these components, which prevents them from functioning. In the extreme situation, water poisoning can reach a life-threatening situation.
Sodium and potassium deficiency can affect all body systems, especially brain cells and heart muscle cells. The signs of ‘fluid poisoning’ are similar to those of dehydration and include fatigue, confusion, instability, lack of concentration, convulsions, coma and even death, if the condition is not recognized in time.
Even those who perform a prolonged effort (more than two hours in a row, without food breaks) are exposed to the danger of sodium loss.