WATER – THE NEGLECTED NUTRIENT

Water is essential for a healthy life. Not only does it help with hydrating our skin, regulating our body temperature, maintaining blood pressure, detoxing our body, and other important bodily functions, but getting enough fluid intake is also connected to the makeup of our gut microbiome.

Our gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria found mostly within our small and large intestines. Keeping the gut flora healthy benefits digestion, decreasing the risk of many chronic diseases, and can even benefit one’s mental health.

While many would assume that consuming enough prebiotics and probiotics is essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome—which is still true, of course—but the impact will be multiplied many folds if water is gulped in right amount.

Is water the neglected nutrient for our gut microbiota?

When looking for the best advice for a healthier gut microbiota and maintaining health. We often neglect the water and its intake in our daily life the fact is explained in part by the fact that drinking water is not always considered part of the diet thus Nutrishilp refers to it as “the neglected nutrient”.

Water is an essential part of a healthy balanced diet because the body relies on it to function properly. Between 50% and 80% of the human body is made up of water. All the body’s chemical processes take place in water. We need water for digestion, to absorb nutrients, to help us move, get rid of waste products and to regulate our body temperature.

In the fast paced life today, when do you pick the water bottle up for drinking water? Most of us do it only to quench the thirst but

Is Thirst Enough?

A healthy body is designed to send thirst signals when the body becomes depleted of fluids. Thirst is the desire to drink, and is not only driven by physiological cues but behavioural cues. As people tend to drink the most water when it is served at room temperature even though cooler drinks are rated as most pleasing to taste. We are also often influenced to drink (and eat) more in social settings.

As we age, however, the body’s regulation of fluid intake and thirst decline. Certain conditions that impair mental ability and cognition, such as a stroke or dementia, can also impair thirst. People may also voluntarily limit drinking due to incontinence or difficulty getting to a bathroom. In addition to these situations, people who are ill, and infants may not have an adequate sense of thirst to replete their fluid needs. Even mild dehydration may produce negative symptoms, so people who cannot rely on thirst or other usual measures may wish to use other strategies. For example, aim to fill a 20-ounce water bottle four times daily and sip throughout the day, or drink a large glass of water before each meal and snack.

Symptoms of dehydration that may occur with as little as a 2% water deficit

• Fatigue
• Confusion or short-term memory loss
• Mood changes like increased irritability or depression

Dehydration can increase the risk of certain medical conditions:

• Urinary tract infections
• Kidney stones
• Gallstones
• Constipation

How Much Water Do I Need?

One of the most familiar sayings is to aim for “8 glasses a day,” but this may not be appropriate for every person.

Aside from including water-rich foods, the following chart is a guide for daily water intake based on age and gender group –

Age, Gender	Amount of Intake(per day)
0″“6 months Infants	0.7 Litre
7″“12 months Infants	0.8 Litre
1″“3 years Children	1.3 Litre
4″“8 years children	1.7 Litres
9″“13 years (Boys)	2.4 Litres
14″“18 years (Boys)	3.3 Litres
9″“13 years (Girls)	2.1 Litres
14″“18 years (Girls)	2.3 Litres
>18 years (Men)	3.7 Litres
>18 years (Women)	2.7 Litres
Pregnant women	3.0 Litres
Lactating women	3.8 Litres

 

Alternatively, the water intake requirement can also be understood with a simple formula of

Water intake formula –

As a general rule, you can use this simple calculation.

40 multiplied with your body weight (in kg) = Water (in ml) to drink a day .For example, if you are 60kg, you should drink about 40 X 60 = 2400 ml of water every single day which in litres can be expressed as 2.4 litre.

How to get enough fluid in your diet

If the idea of having to drink lots of cups of water a day doesn’t appeal, don’t worry – fluids include fresh water and all other liquids (such as milk, coffee, tea, soup, juice and even soft drinks).

Tips for drinking more water

Add a squeeze or slice of lemon or lime, or some strawberries or mint leaves to plain water to add variety.

Keep a bottle or glass of water handy on your desk or in your bag.

Drink some water with each meal and snack.

Add ice cubes made from fresh fruit to a glass of water.

Avoid sugary and artificially sweetened drinks

QUICK TIP – The drinks such as tea and coffee which contain Caffeine, dehydrates the body, Nutrishilp advices to gulp an extra glass of water after having cup of tea or coffee.

 

It is recommended to limit the intake of drinks containing added sugar. This includes:

• Sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials
• Fruit drinks
• Vitamin-style waters
• Flavoured mineral waters
• Energy and sports drinks.

Having sugary drinks provides additional energy (kilojoules) to the diet, but no other essential nutrients. There is strong evidence of the association between having sugary dinks and excess weight gain in both children and adults, as well as reduced bone strength and tooth decay. Thus, they should not be considered as regular alternative to water.

“Drinking water is like washing out your insides. The water will cleanse the system, fill you up, decrease your caloric load and improve the function of all your tissues.”

Shilpi Goel – Nutritionist, Dietitian and Founder of Nutrishilp.

 

Feel free to connect with Team Nutrishilp

@ 7581921000 or [email protected].