The world, according to the Bible, was covered entirely with water until God spoke and the waters were divided, and land appeared here and there. Over the ages water has proven to be a priceless treasure insomuch that nations have fought over it in one way or the other. Capitals of great nations are usually situated in a city or town that has access to water before the advent of air transportation.
To man water is as important externally as it is important internally—if not more, that is.
An average man is more fluid actually than solid. Our solid frame, so to say, seems to want to tell a different story but do not believe it one bit. Beneath and underneath those muscles and bones are fluids here and there keeping everything in a beautiful balance. A homeostasis that adds a little here and takes a little there as necessary per time.
About sixty percent of an adult’s body is composed of fluid majority of which is water. It is not an accident. The body uses myriads of mechanisms to keep this balance. The body fights fiercely to keep this balance until it cannot fight anymore. When it cannot fight anymore it needs urgent help to assist it or else death will ultimately ensue in a very short moment. This help can be as little as rehydrating the person or as complex as giving a dialysis.
An average adult needs about one and half litres of water in a day in addition to the fluids from food and from the ones the body generates. This is not a strict value. Most times it depends on the weather, the physical activity involved in and the state of the person among others. The human body is one big laboratory, so to say, where loads of chemical reactions take place every moment. Most of these reactions need a fluid environment to work well. Also, to carry the products to the parts of the body where they are needed water is of paramount importance.
An average adult needs about one and half litres of water in a day in addition to the fluids from food and from the ones the body generates.
Waste products from the body or should I say unneeded materials from the body are excreted most times as solutions. In form of sweat, feces, urine among others. These causes an inadvertent loss of water. These go on daily and at every moment and thus the need for constant replenishment.
There are signs that have been put in place to notify us if we are having enough water or not. Thirst is perhaps the simplest and fastest means to know if you are having enough water. Ordinarily if you are thirsty then it simply means you need more water. The volume and colour of your urine could also be a pointer to your need for water. The urine should be a clear amber fluid. If it is a little bit dark it may indicate that you probably need more water.
There are conditions that cause a rapid depletion of the water and electrolytes composition of the body. Chief among these is gastroenteritis usually accompanied with vomiting and diarrhea. Within a short while the person becomes weak and if nothing is done the weakness progresses until there is an affectation of other organs of which the kidneys are chief.
There are conditions that cause a rapid depletion of the water and electrolytes composition of the body. Chief among these is gastroenteritis usually accompanied with vomiting and diarrhea.
Apart from removing the cause of the assault, an important remedy is to rehydrate the person. In the case of vomiting and diarrhea, water alone may not do as we know that other chemical substances called electrolytes would have been lost in the process. So, depending on if the person can tolerate oral intake or not, we give oral rehydration solution (ORS) or intravenous fluids if otherwise. The ORS is a powder that is dissolved in a lot of water and taken over a period of time. It replenishes the water as well as the electrolytes that have been lost.
All in all, water is important to the human body and is being maintained strictly by the body in a beautiful balance. The body tells us when we need to up our intake of it and vice versa. We will do well to pay attention to the warning signs the body shows.
