Water and Its Vital Connection to Nutrition

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Water is not only important to the livelihood of plants and if a garden will thrive. It is also vital to the human body and nutrition.

In this article, we will explore the percentage of the human body that is made up of water, the role water has when it comes to nutrition, and look at what is recommended for water intake to promote wellness and health.

The Human Body is Like a Sea of Water

The human body is like a sea of water You just don't know how much water is being held within until you start to take a closer look. For example, did you know that many human organs are made of water? Wondering what percentages of human organs are water? The H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158 looked into the answer to this question.

7 Human Organs Primarily Made of Water

A list of seven human organs and the percentage of the organs that is water:

1. Brain: 73%

2. Heart: 73%

3. Lungs: 83%

4. Skin: 64%

5. Muscles: 79%

6. Kidneys: 79%

7. Bones: 31%

Age, Water, and its Percentage in the Human Body

So organs are made largely of water. But does the percentage of the water in the human body as a whole change and shift as people age? The quick answer is, Yes! Here is a breakdown of how the percentages change as humans grow and get older based on the research of Dr. Jeffrey Utz, Neuroscience, pediatrics, Allegheny University:

? Newborns: 78%

? One-year-olds: 65%

? Adult males: 60%

? Adult females: 55%

7 Ways Water Works to Help the do its Job and Acts as a Vital Nutrition Factor

There are seven main roles water plays in the realm of nutrition. They are:

1. Building material

Water aids every cell in the human body by helping the human body build, create, and replenish cells as they die.

2. Thermometer

Water acts as the human body's internal thermometer. It does this through the actions of respiration and sweating.

3. Transporter

Water serves as a transporter for the human body. It accomplishes this role by helping the transportation of both carbohydrates and proteins into the bloodstream after they are metabolized by the digestive system.

4. Waste control

Water acts as a flusher of waste. This role of water is achieved through urination.

5. Protector

Water's role of protector starts before birth and continues throughout the human lifespan. It defends and protects the brain and spinal cord by absorbing shock.

6. Creator

Water is a creator of saliva for the human body.

7. Lubricator

Water helps with the human joints and aids to prevent, reduce joint pain by lubricating joints.

How Much Water the Human Body Needs

Water is needed by the human body. Surprisingly, however, one size does not fit all. The amount of water that a person needs each day is dependent on the following variables:

1. Location

Where a person lives impacts what amount of water is needed on a daily basis because of climate.

2. Gender

The gender of a person influences the amount of water that is recommended on a daily basis because the body of each gender has a different percentage of lean tissue over fat tissue.

3. Activity Level

The more active of a lifestyle that a person lives, the more water their body is going to need. Especially during and after a good exercise workout.

In the past, it was advocated that eight glasses of water be consumed a day. When a glass is equal to eight ounces and that is multiplied by eight a day, it translates to a person consuming 64 ounces or a gallon of water a day.

Some people go by the rule of thumb that you should be drinking half body weight in fluid ounces a day.

Both of these are suggestions that aim to help people increase their overall water consumption on a daily basis.

7 Types of Water

Here is a list of seven different types of water that can be used when trying to meet your personal water intake goal:

1. Soft

2. Hard

3. Spring

4. Well

5. Carbonated

6. Distilled

7. Filtered

Is drinking water the only way to make sure that your body is getting the water it needs?

2 Other Ways to Add Water into your Nutrition

It is important to know that drinking water as a beverage is not the only way to meet your personal water intake goal. Water can be added into the nutrition the human body takes in through two other ways beyond just drinking it. They are:

1. Oxidation: This is accomplished through macronutrients.

2. Food: Many foods have liquid and water within them.

About 22% of the American average water intake on a daily basis is due to the food that is eaten.

Food Items and The Percentage of Water in Each

Medical Conditions and Medications Where too Much Water can be Consumed on a Daily Basis

Although drinking lots of water every day is wonderful for your health, If you live with certain medical conditions, drinking a lot of water can be harmful to your health. Here is a list of medical conditions where a lot of water should not be consumed on a daily basis:

1. Thyroid disease

2. Kidney related conditions

3. Liver-related conditions

4. Heart difficulties

This is also true if certain medications are being taken or are recommended by your doctor. Wondering what medicines mean you should not be consuming lots of water on a daily basis?

Here is a list:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

2. Opiate pain medications

3. Antidepressants.

Wait, don't drink lots of water? What then how much water should a person drink if they live with one of these conditions or take one or more of these type of medications?

One of the best things to do is to make an appointment with your physician and discuss and create a plan for your body's individual water needs.

If you are looking for a doctor specializes in holistic medicine, you could also choose to go see functional medicine doctor, naturopathic medicine doctor. You could also go see a nutritionist or health coach.

References:

Perlman, H., & USGS. (n.d.). The water in you. Retrieved December 13, 2018, from https://water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html

Popkin, B. M., D'Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010, August). Water, hydration, and health. Retrieved December 14, 2018, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20646222/