Disputes about how much water each person needs to drink a day have not subsided for many years, not only among supporters of a he althy lifestyle, but also among pundits. Some of them are sure that you should drink only when you feel naturally thirsty, while others adhere to the well-known theory of "eight glasses".
It was developed by American specialists in the middle of the 20th century and consisted in the fact that a he althy person needs 1 ml of water per 1 kilocalorie of food consumed for a normal drinking regimen. The average daily diet in those years was 1900 kcal, which is why a calculation arose of how much water an adult needs to drink per day: 1900 divided by 250 ml, which in total is approximately 8 glasses. Moreover, nutritionists from different countries, taking this figure as a basis, did not agree on whether to include in this amount the water contained in foods consumed by humans, as well as in first courses and drinks, or whether to recommend drinking in its pure form. And only at the beginning of the 21st century, in 2004, the official medicine of the United States wasstandards are recognized: an adult he althy woman needs to drink 2.7 liters of water per day, and a man - 3.7 liters.
This considerable amount of daily fluid should include any water found in vegetables and fruits, juices, tea and coffee, milk, smoothies, first courses and other sources.
Factors affecting consumption
How much water each person should drink per day in order to maintain vitality is influenced by many factors: body weight, ambient temperature and humidity, quantity and quality of food eaten, physical activity and type of work performed. Unlike the standard recommended by WHO: 30-40 ml of liquid per 1 kg of human body weight (including drinks, decoctions, juices), people actively involved in physical labor or sports should restore moisture lost with sweat, so the required amount of water on the day of training they always exceed by 30-50% the volume of moisture drunk on the “day off”. Ambient temperature plays an important role: the higher the indicators, the more water "volatilizes" during breathing and evaporates from the skin.
In the summer, when the thermometer goes off scale, doctors advise drinking at least 3 liters of water a day. The answer to the question of how much water to drink per day also depends on the quality and quantity of food. Slender Japanese and Mediterranean people who eat seafood and other he althy foods need one and a half liters of water a day, while obeseAmericans with their hamburgers, coffee and cola should consume at least 2.5 liters.
For pregnant women, the daily quantity and quality of fluid should be determined by the supervising physician. Usually prescribed at least 2 liters of fluid per day. The volume of water consumed per day increases with diabetes mellitus, problems with the adrenal glands, thyroid gland and gastrointestinal disorders. A doctor's advice on how much water to drink per day to compensate for fluid loss in each individual case should be strictly individual!
Why is it important to drink water?
Everyone knows the fact that our body is two-thirds water, and the blood contains 83% of it, the brain - 75%, muscles - 76% and even the skeleton is 22% saturated with water! If a person does not drink water for a long time, then all organs will begin to suffer from dehydration, the blood will thicken, and death may occur in 4-5 days.
Lack of moisture adversely affects the condition of human skin - it becomes flaky and excessively dry, redness and wrinkles appear on it. Moisturizers: masks, creams, gels in this case will not solve cosmetic problems, because in order for the skin to radiate youth, you need to drink enough water per day, because our dermis receives the main nourishment from the inside.
How to drink water properly?
Most nutritionists are inclined to recommend that their patients quench their thirst with regular table water without gas as needed when thirsty. Althoughthere are proponents of the “100 ml per hour” rule, which means you need to keep some water nearby so as not to forget to replenish the lack of fluid in the body. But all nutrition experts tend to think that it is unacceptable to drink water through force, but it is better to help the body cope with thirst and at the same time get a charge of vivacity and good mood!
