A Prominent Source of Life: Water

Water is the source of life. Living without water is very different from living without food. How long do you think you can live without water? A healthy person can probably live for about 3 to 5 days without any water. Experts recommend drinking about eight to ten cups of water a day to be able to stay healthy.

Clearly, our body needs water to function properly. First of all, water regulates the body temperature and moistens the mouth, eye and nose tissues. It also protects organs, lubricates joints and dissolves minerals and other nutrients to allow them to enter the body. Lastly, it reduces the burden on the kidneys and liver by letting out the waste.

We lose water as we sweat, urinate or even breathe, that’s why we need a regular supply of water in our daily lives. An adult can lose about 1.5 litres of water through sweat when he or she is exposed to high temperatures. If you do not replace the water you lose and lower your body temperature, you might have a heat stroke. When you experience mild dehydration, you have less saliva and your urine gets darker. As the level of dehydration increases, your mouth gets dry and your heart beats rapidly. Once you reach severe dehydration level, your skin turns grey, your blood pressure drops, and your body goes into shock. You may eventually die.