While the season of summer is the perfect time to get into your beautiful, flowy summer dresses and spend time on the beach, it is also the season of sweat, rashes and general exhaustion due to the scorching heat of the sun. Several of our body’s processes like digestion, cooling down etc. slows down if we do not take adequate care of our bodies during this season. This results in a number of illnesses, several of which can be totally avoided if we take care of our hydration and nutrient needs on time.
Our bodies lose a lot of water and essential electrolytes through perspiration during the season of summer. It is our bodies’ natural process of regulating our body temperature and cooling down. Overheating can result in extreme exhaustion or even heat strokes, which can be fatal in nature, if not treated on time. Consuming plenty of water and other fluids is necessary to replenish this lost water and for preventing dehydration.
Lethargy, weak or rapid pulse, low levels of consciousness and inadequate urine output are common signs of dehydration, adequate intake of water is very essential each day as there’s no mechanism for our body to store water.
Dr Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Different people have different needs for water depending on their age, weight, gender and pre-existing ailments. Who needs how much water? Read on to know more about who needs how much water per day.
Water intake cannot be generalised for everyone. It varies from person to person. Drink as much water as you think your body needs. A person who is indoor all the time in an air conditioned room may need lesser water that a person working out in sun. Urine colour is a good indicator of your hydration. Dark colour may indicate to bring up your water intake till urine colour appears light yellow.
Dr. Arpit Verma, MBBS, MD (Pharmacology)
Apart from hydration, water provides a number of other benefits. They are:
It is recommended to consume about 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women of drinking water and/or other beverages. Do not forget that we get about 20% of our total water intake from water-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka – MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)
Some people have a hard time drinking water and maintaining adequate hydration levels in their bodies. The reason is yet to be known whether this is a psychological condition or if something in their bodies actually prevents them from consuming water. But the summer sun is not sparing these people either. So, what is it that you can do to get adequate amounts of hydration? Aim for fluids in general instead of just water. Avoid drinks which contain added sugar or caffeine as these may interfere with your health in the long run if consumed regularly.
Also Read: Coconut Water vs Coconut Milk: A Comprehensive Comparison Guide
Below are some water-based summer-friendly drinks which can be consumed along with water to keep yourself hydrated.
Drinking adequate quantities of water is extremely essential to ensure all the organ systems in our bodies are performing efficiently. It helps us stay cool and has a number of health benefits. The key to staying healthy in summer is to consume plenty of water and other fluids.
Also Read: Purple Cauliflower Benefits: A Nutritional Breakdown Backed by Science
Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Drink eight glasses of water every day – You have probably read and heard this often to believe that it is the gospel of truth for keeping your body adequately hydrated. However, drinking eight glasses of water a day is nothing more than a popularly propagated health myth.
Certainly, keeping your body duly hydrated contributes to your overall health and well-being, as every cell in your body needs fluids for proper functioning. Even slight dehydration can interfere with the body’s ability to function well and manifest itself and form symptoms such as light-headedness, irritability, and headaches.
It is, perhaps, this fear of dehydration that has led self-proclaimed health experts and overzealous fitness trainers to put a number on the daily water requirement of the human body. Be that as it may, it is not possible to generalize the water requirement of the entire human race. The 8-glasses-a-day is but a generalized figure that may or may not meet, or even exceed your body’s requisite water intake.
Health experts and doctors find themselves at a loss as to where the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ theory originated from! A 2002 study titled, ‘Drink eight glasses of water a day at least. Really? Is there scientific evidence for ”8×8”?’ tried to get to the bottom of this myth and traced its roots to a single paragraph in a report dated 1945 by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council in the US that states that adults should consume nearly 2.5 litres of water every day, which roughly equates to eight glasses of water.
However, the same report also noted that a large part of this water requirement is met by water content in the foods we consume and supplemented by beverages such as tea, coffee, milk, and even soft drinks. Somehow, the 2.5 litres figure stood out and gave way to the eight glasses of water a day theory.
Based on some studies I had read, your brain doesn’t function properly when you are dehydrated that might lead to cognitive issues. Elderly persons who are unable to fulfill their daily water intake might face difficulties in engaging in cognitive activities.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
More than how many glasses of water you must drink, it is important to drink enough water. Here are some of the health benefits you will derive:
You might have noticed that on days when you drink less water, you might experience joint pain. This is because water acts as lubrication of joints. The synovial fluid present at the joint consists of 70-80% of water. Any less water in the body might reduce the production of this joint-lubricating liquid.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
If one looks at the World Health Organization’s recommendation for water intake, it becomes clear that the amount of water needed by the body varies according to different physiological and demographic factors such as age, sex, location, climate, activity levels, and more.
For the sake of aggregation, the average total water intake has been pegged at 2.7 litres for women and 3.7 litres for men, ‘total’ is the keyword here.
This means that you do not need to drink 2.7 litres or 3.7 litres of water straight from the faucet – Our food intake meets about 20 per cent of this value. Beverages such as fruit juices, soft drinks, milk, tea, and coffee also contribute toward a portion of the remaining 80 per cent of the body’s water requirement.
In addition to this, the body’s water requirement may vary depending on certain lifestyle factors:
Your body gives you signs that you need to drink water long before dehydration sets in. The most practical rule of thumb is to keep a bottle of water handy and drink whenever you feel thirsty. Therefore, you may or may not drink eight glasses of water every day!
Also Read: Purple Cauliflower Benefits: A Nutritional Breakdown Backed by Science
Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
‘Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day!’ You have probably read about this and heard this long and often enough to believe that it is the gospel truth for keeping your body adequately hydrated. However, drinking eight glasses of water a day is nothing more than a popularly propagated health myth.Indeed, keeping your body duly hydrated contributes to your overall health and well-being, as every cell in your body needs fluids for proper functioning. Even slight dehydration can interfere with the body’s ability to function well and manifest itself in form symptoms such as light-headedness, irritability and headaches.It is, perhaps, this fear of dehydration that has led self-proclaimed health experts and overzealous fitness trainers to put a number on the daily water requirement of the human body. Be that as it may, it is not possible to generalize the water requirement of the entire human race. The 8-glasses-a-day is but a generalized figure that may or may not meet, or even exceed your body’s requisite water intake.
