Download Water is essential for your body

Water is essential for your body
Water is essential to life. Water regulates body temperature and removes toxins from your body. It breaks
down the food and dissolves amino acids, glucose and minerals. Remember that almost 60% of your body,
and 70% of your muscle tissue is made up of water.
How much water do you need?
The amount of water you need differs from person to person. It depends on various factors such as the type
of activity you take part in, weather conditions, how much you weigh and how tall you are. Remember to
drink extra water when you exercise, so your body doesn’t dehydrate.
There is no simple answer on how much water you should drink per day, but a well known advice for an
average person is to drink around 8 glasses of water every day. This advice is not far from the
recommendations by the Institute of Medicine, where an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters
(about 13 cups), and AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
Water rich fruits and vegetables
Remember that all fluids count toward the daily total. Also, some foods like fruits and vegetables contain a
lot of water. Food usually contains more than half the water we need. Fruit is a great water source since it
contains around 80 % of water.
Don’t wait to drink water until you get thirsty
If you feel thirsty it will take around 20 minutes for the liquid to be utilized by the body. This is why it is so
important not to wait until you feel thirsty. Water is the best quencher and meal drink. Remember that
unlike soft drinks, juice and alcohol, water contains no calories .
Vitamins are necessary
Life can not exist without vitamins. Vitamins are necessary for maintaining the body’s functions. Vitamins
are no calories, proteins, minerals, fat and water, but they are necessary for the proper absorption and use of
these substances.
Vitamins from food is important
Vitamins are important components of the body’s enzyme systems. If you eat a wide and varied selection
of many different unprocessed foods and five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, it should be
sufficient.
Vitamin supplements should not replace vitamins from food. Many studies show that vitamins from food
are more effective than vitamins from supplements. Most vitamins in supplements have been extracted
from natural foods. Vitamin A comes from fish liver oil and the various B vitamins from yeast or liver.
Vitamin C is often extracted from rosehips and vitamin E can be extracted from soybeans.
Vitamins: Fat-soluble and Water-soluble
There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
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Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) can be stored in the body.
Water-soluble vitamins (multiple vitamin B and vitamin C) should be replenished
every day. Vitamin B12 is an exception and can be stored in the liver for years.
Vitamin C, D and Folic Acid
You probably get a sufficient quantity of several vitamins, but many people don’t get enough of vitamin C,
D and Folic Acid so make sure you get enough of these vitamins through your diet.
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Vitamin C found in fruit and vegetables.
Vitamin D found in fish, especially oily fish, fortified milk
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) found in lentils, chickpeas, beans, almonds, nuts, citrus
fruits, strawberries, vegetables, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, cereals
Vitamin Supplements
Some people do need vitamin supplements. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, elderly, vegans or those
who eat too much processed food, may need vitamin supplements. The vitamin supplements should be
taken with meals and never on an empty stomach. The vitamins will disappear rapidly from the body
through urine if taken on an empty stomach, especially the water soluble B and C vitamins.
Be careful though with the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K. If you take too much of the fat soluble
vitamins, the body will not be able to get rid of the excess through urine. The fat soluble A, D, E, and Kvitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues of the body, so you don’t need to consume them every day.
Store your vitamin supplements in a dark, cool and dry place.
When you think of minerals, food is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Are minerals not found
in rocks and soil?. Well, yes that is correct, but you will also find small amounts of some minerals in food
we eat.
Minerals – Fuel for the body
Minerals are substances work together with vitamins to fuel your body in many ways. The human body
requires minerals to function properly. Minerals are important to build strong bones, transmission of nerve
signals and to maintain a normal heart rhythm. They are also used to produce hormones in the body.
Mineral Supplements
Some people don’t get enough minerals through their diet and may need help from mineral supplements.
Different medications and health conditions may cause mineral deficiency. Some groups are more in need
of mineral supplements than others. For example, if you are pregnant, vegetarian, under a lot of stress, or
getting older, you may need dietary supplements to increase your mineral supply. Excessive alcohol
consumption and poor diet may also cause mineral deficiency. Calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, and
selenium deficiencies are common in parts of the U.S. population. A well balanced diet together with
mineral supplements will easily restore your nutrient levels.
Minerals – Macro and Micro Elements
Minerals can be divided into macro elements and micro elements (often called trace minerals) by the
body’s need for substance. Macro-means large in Latin and the minerals included in the macro elements are
simply those that the human body has a greater need for, compared with the minerals belonging to the
micro-elements (micro means small).
For a closer look on the macro elements and the micro elements check out the list of dietary minerals. It
will list each mineral explaining its function and recommended intake.