Water - the elixir of life...

Many people don't realise that water is actually more important to us than food. Next to oxygen, water is the most essential element in our physiology. A human being can survive for up to a month without food, but we can only live for a few short days without water.

The human body consists of 70% water, and on a daily basis our bodies can lose up to 3 litres through both urine and perspiration. Even the simple act of exhaling causes us to lose precious amounts of water vapour. If you add in factors such as living in a hot climate and doing exercise, then the water loss increases dramatically.

Water plays an important role in virtually every bodily function - the human body is designed to use it for many different vital processes, and lack of water leads to all kinds of problems. So it is vital for us to drink plenty of water each day in order for our bodies to function properly - the recommended daily intake is at least 2 litres per day.

• Water comprises 80% of our blood, 73% of the brain, 73% of muscle, and 22% of bone.



• Water is an essential part of our digestive system: it is a component of gastric juices, pancreatic fluids, and saliva; it also dissolves nutrients and transports them through the digestive tract and into the cells, where they are absorbed, utilised and converted into energy.



• Water dissolves, detoxifies and eliminates the waste products of cells and then transports this waste out of the body through the kidneys, intestines, skin, and lungs.



• Water is an important part of our circulation system, transporting nutrients and waste products in the blood and lymphatic fluids.



• Water helps to metabolise fats in the body.



• Water is a component of sweat, which helps the body maintain a constant temperature.



• Water protects, cushions and lubricates vital organs, your joints and your colon.

We tend to think that we are getting our water intake by drinking any fluid that contains water, such as tea, coffee, alcohol, and other manufactured beverages. However, whilst it's true that these beverages do contain water, what happens in fact is that the other ingredients present in these drinks actually deprive the body of more water than is contained in the beverage in the fist place, leaving you even more dehydrated. So it is actually counterproductive to drink these sorts of beverages.

The most effective way to replenish our water level is by drinking pure, fresh water. You should also be aware that most fresh fruit and vegetables are made up of between 70 - 95% water, so eating plenty of these will help add to your daily intake of water too.

One very healthy habit you should adopt is to keep a bottle of water with you, so you can take regular sips continuously throughout the day. If you wait until your mouth is dry, and you feel thirsty, that means you are already dehydrated, and this is the final signal that the body urgently needs water. A good sign that you are getting enough water is that your urine has either very little or no colour to it.

Symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, headaches, fatigue, fuzzy short-term memory and the sensation of extreme hunger. This is why we often confuse the body's signal for requiring water, misreading it as a sign of hunger instead, and end up reaching for some food when all that was really needed was a drink.

Drinking water will make you feel fitter and more energetic, as well as help you to reduce your weight:

• Lack of water (not food!) is the number one cause of daytime fatigue.



• Even mild dehydration slows your metabolism down by as much as 3%.



• A mere 2% drop in body water can cause fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic maths, and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or printed page.



• If you drink a glass of water just before eating you will find that you actually eat less food, yet you will feel completely satisfied.

In addition to seeing clients at the clinic, Martin and Marion undertake private, home visits, both in Spain and internationally, subject to availability and negotiation.

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To arrange a free, initial consultation, or for further information, please contact Elite on 951 31 15 91, or click here to e-mail us.

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