Water: The Best Zero Calorie Drink Dr Saleem Saim It is amazing to think that 65-75% of our body weight is due to water, the elixir of life without which our body cannot pull on even for some days. Scientists rank it as second only to oxygen as essential for life. Water is a fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium and zero calorie drink. Cold water has more dissolved oxygen that is why it quenches thirst more refreshingly. It is a medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It transports nutrients, hormones, vitamins, antibodies and oxygen through the blood stream and lymphatic system. Apart from helping in digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature through perspiration which dissipates excess heat and cools our bodies. It also eliminates toxins and other waste byproducts through urination and perspiration. It moistens lungs for their efficient working, lubricates joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from shock and damage. It keeps internal organs from sticking together and skin from shrinking and drying out. People require to drink large
amounts of pure and fresh water as they are generally industrious and travel a lot in connection to earn their livelihood.Water samples of some areas have shown presence of highly toxic arsenic beyond permissible limits of 0.05 mg/l as recommended by WHO in 1984. Arsenic is a documented human carcinogen. It is well known as slow poison and its toxicity first manifests itself as lesions on skin. Therefore water must be treated to make it safe for drinking. We need lots of fresh water to stay healthy; the daily requirement being about eight glasses. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, sports persons and hard working people need extra amounts. Drinking more water helps to reduce water retention by stimulating our kidneys. It is not the water that makes us feel bloated, but rather salt that holds large amounts of water in our body. If our food has less salt, any extra water we consume will be quickly washed out of our body. Soft water (water which has been treated to eliminate minerals) fails to supply the body with required dose of essential minerals and is linked to higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease. A recent study in the journal of The American Dietetic Association established that drinking hard water may actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Fluoridated toothpaste is recommended for those areas where drinking water contains very less fluoride salts to prevent the incidence of tooth decay. Water plays a major role also in weight-loss. Since it contains no calories it can be taken in large amounts to make less room before gobbling high calorie food. It suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize stored fat. When taken while eating food, it does not dilute digestive juices; rather it serves as a vehicle for best performance of enzymes and prevents indigestion and undue gas formation due to bacterial decomposition of undigested food. Drinking inadequate amounts of water contributes to muscle fatigue, poor performance and water retention. Dehydration leads to excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, increased toxicity, joint and muscle soreness. It is yet a sordid fact that most of us do not care to know its worth. Although water covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface, only 1% of the earth’s water is potable. Conservation of ground water by rain harvesting and maximizing the uses of available water are the potential remedies to contain the alarmingly increasing water scarcity.