{ Why drink water? Health 9

 Water has many important functions in the body  The best source of fluid is water  Fluid requirements can vary basked on the age, gender, body size, activity level, weather and health status  TL7c TL7c TL7c Key messages

 Water makes up to 60-70% of the bodies weight and has many important roles. Every system in the body depends on water.  We need water to:  Cool our bodies (when we sweat)  Help with digestion  Absorb and carry nutrients thoughout our body  Remove wastes and helps the body repair itself  Act as a cushion for our organs and joints  Help with the repair and replacement of old tissue Why is water important?

 Our body loses water each day:  It is important to drink enough water and other healthy fluids to replace the water that is lost each day  Skin: water is lost through our skin every day. The amount of water lost through our skin depends on body size, tempurature, activity level and stress level. An average person, at rest, loses about 450ml water through their skin each day  Breathing: our lungs use water to breath. An average person, at rest, loses 250ml-350ml of water through breathing each day  Urine: most of our water is lost through our urine. An average person loses 500ml-100ml of water through urine each day Why is water important?

 Foods:  Soup, vegetables and fruit provide us with about 20% of our fluid needs  Fruits such as watermelon, grapes, oranges and apples contain a high amount of water  Vegetables such as cucumbers, bell peppers, lettuce and tomatoes contains a high amount of water  Drinks:  Drinks provide our body with the other 80% of water needed to meet our fluid needs. Healthy drinks include: water, milk and 100% vegetable or fruit juice. Which healthy foods and drinks provide fluids to our body?

 Fluid requirements (including all drinks):  4-8 years: 5 cups/day (1250ml)  9-13 years: 6-7 cups/day (1500ml-1750ml)  years: 7-11 cups/day (1750ml-2750ml)  Water Requirements:  Ideally, water should make up most of your fluid requirements. Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide recommends drinking 2 cups of milk or fortified soy beverage daily for adequate vitamin D (for healthy bones and teeth) How much water should you drink every day?

 Dehydration is when our body does not have enough fluid. This can happen when we do not drink enough fluids, or if we lose too much fluid (hot weather/physical activity) or both  Dehydration can make it difficult for us to focus, decrease our physical performance and over-heat or even put stress on our heart, kidneys and other organs What is dehydration?

 Usually by the time we become thirsty, we are already somewhat dehydrated  The amount of colour of our urine can also be a sign of whether we are drinking enough. If your urine is dark yellow (colour of apple juice), it means you need to drink more fluid  When you are dehydrated, or have not had enough to drink, you may feel very thristy, tired, cranky, and dizzy. You may even feel light-headed and seldom use the bathroom How do I know if I’m drink enough?

 Drink beverages with meals and snacks and throughout the day  Carry a water bottle so that a drink is available anytime, anywhere  Drink extra fluids before, during and after physical activity or play  Watch for signs of dehydration, especially when weather conditions are extreme (very hot, humid, cold or dry) Ways to avoid dehydration

 Pre-exercise water consumption:   Water – 1-2 cups of water 2 hours prior to exercise   Then 1 cup min before exercise   No carbonated beverages 2hrs prior to exercise   Fruit juices and milk have higher carbohydrates and can cause come GI distress. Before swimming consume 1-2 cups of fluid immediately after waking up  During exercise:   You should drink 1 cup of fluid every min of exercise and should begin soon after the onset of exercise  Post-exercise water consumption:   Consume 2-3 cups of fluid per each pound lost   Do not drink all at once. Spead them out over 3-5 hours after exercise Water consumption during exercise