Counseling Sheet

Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.
Preventive Medicine

Water is a part of every cell. It transports all the foodstuffs to the cells, and the operations within the cells occur in a watery medium. Substances in the body have to be maintained in the solution, and secretions and wastes must be carried out of the cells by water. Water regulates the body temperature, adjusting to the water losses and the changes in the surroundings. Four quarts of water are constantly circulating in the body as part of the blood.

In an obese person, the body weight is only about half water - about 55%. Whereas, in a lean person, the body contains about 70% water (Goodman and Gilman, 1970).

Lack of adequate water intake is a burden to the body. As a result, the body reacts by keeping extra sodium in the blood to keep up the water level as much as possible. If this continues for too long, the body's fluid and electrolytes (e.g. sodium, potassium, calcium, etc.) can become very imbalanced, with resulting severe health problems.

‍Approximate Daily Water Losses for an Adult in Temperate Climate‍

Perspiration 2.1 cups
Water lost from lungs by exhaling 1.7 cups
Water lost with feces 0.5 cups
Water lost in waste removal as urine 6.3 cups
Total daily water lost 10.6 cups
(Ford, 1974)

In hot weather, the urine output is less; but the amount of water lost in sweat is enough greater to bring the total output to approximately 14.4 cups. In prolonged heavy exercise, the water loss is increased to approximately 28.3 cups (Guyton, 1966). This is quite a bit of water - 10 cups equals 2.5 quarts and 20 cups equals 5 quarts. That is a lot of water to lose.

Fortunately, however, a loving Creator has made it possible for our bodies to compensate for these losses in three different ways:‍

Daily Water Gains‍

Water produced by oxidation of carbohydrates and fats
In the body (approximately) 1.5 cups
Water contained in the food 3.6 cups
Drinking water needed to balance water gain with water loss 5.5 cups
Total water gained by body 10.6 cups
(Ford, 1974)

Most of the water is taken orally. A relatively small amount is produced in the body from the breakdown of food. It is imperative then that we drink plenty of water - pure, clear water. From the chart, we can see that we must have at least 5.5 glasses to take care of the essential needs. For optimum functioning and benefit, 6 to 8 glasses are considered to be best.

Start the day by drinking a glass or two of warm water. This will help to get the digestive tract awake, cleaned out, and ready for the day's activities. It is very important to always drink the water quota between meals and not with the meals. Water should not be washed down; no drink is needed with meals. Eat slowly, and allow the saliva to mingle with the food. The more liquid that is taken into the stomach with the meals, the more difficult it is for the food to digest; for the liquid must be absorbed.

Many make the mistake of drinking cold water with their meals. Taken with meals, water diminishes the flow of the salivary glands; and the colder the water, the greater the injury to the stomach. Ice water, soft drinks, or ice lemonade, drunk with meals, will arrest digestion until the system has imparted sufficient warmth to the stomach to enable it to take up its work again.

Today it is also known that the enzymes necessary for digestion can function optimally only at body temperature. If the temperature gets either too hot or too cold, the enzymes can't function well and thus digestion is slowed. For best results, drink a glass of warm water 30 to 60 minutes before each meal. This will help to satisfy thirst and be out of the stomach before the next meal. Then finish the day by drinking a glass or two an hour or so before bedtime. This will fill your daily need for water and start you on the road to feeling better and functioning with greater efficiency.

Water is the best liquid possible to cleanse the tissues both internally and externally. However, before we close this discussion on water, let me make one distinction as to the type of water that is best to use. Many studies have been done recently concerning people's health with relation to the hardness or softness of water. The reports are showing that people using softened water, or soft water, are having a higher incidence of hypertension and heart problems. Softened water comes from an original hard water source in which the minerals of calcium and magnesium are exchanged through a softener to sodium ions. For people with heart problems, this is very detrimental. If you're on a low-sodium diet, but drinking softened water with a high-sodium content, your efforts are defeated. The problems found to be related to soft water consumption do not seem to be related to the water itself, but rather to the pipes through which the water passes. Soft water tends to be a little more acid and is thus capable of dissolving harmful substances off of galvanized iron pipelines.