manchester

healthy options

general health

Water

WE take it for granted and waste millions of gallons of it every day.

Yet water is vital to our well-being, truly the elixir of life.

It is essential to help keep the body going like a well-oiled machine, to cool, lubricate and flush out waste and toxins. It helps us fight illness, regulates temperature and moisturises our skin.

There is general agreement among medical experts that we should drink at least two litres of water a day and more in the summer. The World Health Organisation recommends a daily, eight large glasses for adults, to replace what we lose and maintain good health.

But though Britons are drinking more - we spent nearly £500m on bottled water in the UK in 1999, when sales reached an all-time high of 1.2billion litres - nutritionists say that in general we still don't drink as much as we should.

And a recent survey showed a fifth of children drank no water at all, opting instead for sweetened drinks which can lead to tooth decay.

Another study showed that children were often dehydrated causing learning and behavioural problems.

Our bodies, are made up of about 75 per cent water but lose an amazing 10 cups of it a day through urine, perspiration, and simply breathing.

Even though we may not appear to be sweating, water is lost through our skin.

Just small levels of dehydration can cause headaches, lethargy, overall lack of alertness and appetite, constipation, backache, pains in the joints and mood swings.

In the longer term, it can lead to more serious problems, including gallstones, kidney stones and other renal and circulation problems.

Lots of people think they only need to drink when they are thirsty, but by the time you do feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated, and the thirst is one of the body's warning signals that you need more liquid.

When vital organs are dehydrated, the body grabs moisture from the skin - and dry wrinkly skin is another sign of that you are drying out. Dark yellow urine is another - the water you pass should be pale and clear. If it isn't, you need to drink more.

''Headaches in the afternoon can be a sign of dehydration, especially if you are working in an air-conditioned office,'' says British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Susan Price, a state registered dietician.

''We are all being encouraged to take more exercise, but you have to remember that if you do, you have to increase your fluid intake too,'' says Susan.

But that doesn't mean any just any fluid. ''I have had people say they drink six pints of lager a night, so that must be okay, but it most definitely is not. Alcohol is not a fluid replacement, in fact it is a diuretic which just dehydrates you, which is why we get hangovers after drinking too much,'' she says.

The water in tea and coffee doesn't count either - they are also diuretics, containing caffeine which causes the body to get rid of more liquid than they supply.

''What we all need to do is give our systems a good flushing out each day,'' says Susan, who advises getting into the habit of drinking water, and making it part of your daily routine.

It doesn't all have to be plain water either, you can add variety by drinking sparkling water, or fruit juices like orange and apple, but remember that sweetened fizzy drink may not be good for your teeth.

Getting children to drink water is important. And remember you will need more water in certain conditions such as:

When exposed to higher temperatures
With strenuous work or exercise
Exposed to central heating for long periods (or in air-conditioning)
During pregnancy and breast feeding If suffering fever, diarrhoea and vomiting
If you have a high fibre diet - extra fluid is needed.

But there are some medical conditions which restrict the amount of water drunk, such as kidney and liver problems.

If you suffer from any of these, it is essential you follow the medical guidance you have been given. Also remember you can drink too much water and become awash - and that's dangerous.

Fluid balance becomes upset if more water is drunk than the kidneys can excrete - body cells become swollen, and it can cause drowsiness, weakness and convulsions (though this would need to be in excess of six litres over a short period of time).

There is no need to buy expensive bottled water. Tests have shown that in most cases tap water is as pure as the fancy kind and in some cases more so.

If you are worried about heavy metals in tap water, fit a filter. Decant your daily ration into bottles and keep in the fridge until you get used to your increased intake. If you work in an office, press your employer to provide a large water cooler.

Links
The British Dietetic Association
Water UK