World Water Day 2014: 5 reasons you can’t survive without water

A reduction of more than 10% of our normal body water percentage can be fatal. Despite being so important, a lot of people don’t drink enough water.

Sameer Jha | Updated: March 21, 2014 3:20 pm

March 22 is World Water Day.

60% of our body-weight is made up of water and without it our organs wouldn’t function properly. A reduction of more than 10% of our normal body water percentage can be termed as a medical emergency and can be fatal. Despite being so important, a lot of people don’t drink enough water. The reason might be laziness or indifference, but not staying hydrated can be extremely dangerous. Here are some of the top reasons why your body needs water.

1. It maintains the balance of body fluids

Maintenance of body temperature, digestion and absorption of food, circulation of blood – these are all functions your body will be unable to perform if you don’t give it enough water.

2. Helps get rid of toxins

Without water, your body wouldn’t be able to get rid of toxins that can cause damage to your cells and organs. If you drink adequate water, your body will excrete harmful toxins like blood urea nitrogen through your kidneys.

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3. Keeps your digestive system in mint condition

If you don’t get enough water, your colon will pull water from the stools to get enough water for your digestive system. This will result in dry stools that are difficult to pass through your colon. Drinking water or eating foods rich in water like cucumber or papaya will help prevent this problem.

4. Keeps you looking beautiful

Many actresses swear by water when it comes to maintaining their beauty. (Katrina Kaif drinks 4 glasses of water after waking up!) Drinking a lot of water will ensure that everything from your eyes to your skin look great.

5. Keeps you active

A loss of just one percent of your normal body water percentage can leave you feeling tired. A loss of more than 2-4% can affect your mental functioning too. This is why you need to drink enough water to keep yourself active and free from any sort of fatigue. Read more about how water is the fuel that keeps your body running.

These are just some of the basic health benefits of water. Besides this, it can also help you lose weight and prevent heart disease as it is a much healthier substitute to sugar-loaded soft drinks for quenching thirst. You may already be drinking water a few times in a day, but are you drinking enough?

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Published: March 21, 2014 12:12 pm | Updated:March 21, 2014 3:20 pm

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