Human survival is dependent on water -- water has been
ranked by experts as second only to oxygen as essential for life. The
average adult body is 55 to 75% water. Replacing the water that is
continually being lost through sweating and elimination is very important. To keep the
body functioning properly, it is essential to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of
quality water each day. While the body can survive without food
for about five-weeks, the body cannot survuve without water for longer than five days.
Since such a large percentage of
our bodies is water, water must obviously figure heavily in how our bodies
function.
Aside from aiding in digestion and absorption of food,
water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells,
and removes toxins and other wastes.
This "body water" also cushions
joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from
shock and damage. Conversely, lack of water (dehydration) can be the cause
of many ailments. In his book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water,
Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj noted that chronic dehydration may cause
certain problems for the body, including hypertension, asthma, allergies,
and migraine headaches. (More..)
