Published on :
Every Monday, we find the nutrition Time.news of Dr. Binetou Cheikh Seck, dietician-nutritionist at the Cabinet dietetic nutridéal in Dakar, Senegal.
How important is water to the body?
Human beings are made up of approximately 65% water. It is essential for life. The proof, the total lack of water causes death in 5 days or less. This water:
- Participates in almost all chemical reactions
- Transports substances essential for the work of cells
- Allows the elimination of metabolic waste and it
- Regulates body temperature.
What are the consequences of not drinking enough?
The human being loses water permanently in the form of urine, breathing and perspiration up to 2.5L per day (if we live in a temperate environment and we do not make physical efforts particular). This water must be replaced through what we eat (1L) and the water we drink (1.5L).
Lack of water leads to immediate consequences such as fatigue, tachycardia and dizziness. Then there are long-term consequences: constipation and other digestive disorders, kidney stones, hypertension, joint pain in the knees and back, and premature aging of the skin.
What advice would you give to drink enough and correctly ?
1. We must look at the color of our urine which indicates our level of hydration. Only the first morning urine should be yellow. All others should be clear when well hydrated.
2. Find a 500 ml or ½ L container, keep it handy and define a water plan. I give you a simple example of a plan:
- 500 ml between 8 am and 12 pm
- 500 ml between 12 pm and 5 pm
- 500 ml between 5 p.m. and bedtime.
In this way, we drink throughout the day.
3. There are other beverages that are considered water: coffee, tea, unsweetened herbal tea and sparkling water.
4. For those who have trouble drinking, I recommend flavoring the water with slices of orange or lemon or even mint leaves.
5. The last advice is more of a warning: avoid drinking large quantities of water at once (water cure) – we are not camels: there is no reserve compartment for water in the human body; it has no benefit, it is even dangerous for health (dilutions of nutrients in the blood).