Drinking water
Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals. must have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on earth.
It is most important that the water which people drink and use for other purposes is clean water. This means that the water must be free of germs and chemicals and be clear .Water that is safe for drinking is called potable water.Disease-causing germs and chemicals can find their way into water supplies. When this happens the water becomes polluted or contaminated and when people drink it or come in contact with it in other ways they can become very sick.
Water that is not safe to drink is said to be non-potable. Throughout history there have been many occasions when hundreds of thousands of people have died because disease-causing germs have been spread through a community by a polluted water supply.
Drinking water is one of the most overlooked ways of staying healthy. We take a look at the importance of water in maintaining good health, including some health benefits of water you may not know about.
Water is your body’s essential daily ingredient and is found in every cell in the human body. It’s involved in all bodily functions from respiration and digestion, to temperature regulation and waste removal. Water is also the medium through which chemical reactions can take place, and allows transit, absorption, and transformation of oxygen, hormones, and nutrients.But we are constantly losing it. Our bodies have no means of storing large amounts of water and constant chemical processes demand that we keep replenishing our stores regularly. When the rate of water loss exceeds that of intake, dehydration occurs. The performance of nearly all our bodily systems suffer as a result.
What Is Dehydration in Adults?
Dehydration Facts
Dehydration is a condition that occurs when an individual has lost so much fluid that the body can no longer function normally and develops signs and symptoms due to the loss of fluid.
Adults should seek medical care for suspected dehydration if experiencing decreased production of urine, fever over 101F, seizures, difficulty breathing, or chest or abdominal pain.
Medical treatment of dehydration in adults may involve drinking fluids that contain electrolytes and carbohydrates, in addition to water. In cases of severe dehydration, it may be necessary to administer IV fluids.
Dehydration is a condition that can occur when the loss of body fluids, mostly water, exceeds the amount that is taken in. With dehydration, more water is moving out of individual cells and then out of the body than the amount of water that is taken in through drinking. Medically, dehydration usually means a person has lost enough fluid so that the body begins to lose its ability to function normally and then begins to produce symptoms related to the fluid loss. Although infants and children are at highest risk for dehydration, many adults and especially the elderly have significant risk factors.
People (and animals) lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, urine, and stool. Along with the water, small amounts of salts or electrolytes are also lost. Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water (and salts or electrolytes) losses with fluid intake. When we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated. Most doctors divide dehydration into three stages: 1) mild, 2) moderate and 3) severe. Mild and often even moderate dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by oral intake of fluids that contain electrolytes (or salts) that are lost during activity. If unrecognized and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death. This article is designed to discuss dehydration in adults.
Dehydration symptoms include:
Fatigue or exhaustion
Thirst and hunger
Dark urine
Mood changes
Weakness and slow responses
Confusion or headaches
To prevent dehydration, experts have suggested that we drink between 2 and 3 litres of water per day, although there really is no prescriptive volume that suits everyone. It is especially important for older people to stay hydrated, as the feeling of thirst dampens with age and kidney function declines. However, if you have a heart condition check with your GP first. The easiest way to measure your level of hydration is through the colour of your urine – it should be almost colourless and odourless.
Moreover there is some apps that will remind you to drink water like:
- My water balance
- Drink water reminder
- Drink water log
- Water time
- Aqualert
Ways to Drink More Water Every Day
- Add flavor to your pitcher.
2. Drink a glass after every bathroom break.
3. Sip before every meal.
4. Use an app to track your cups.
5. Or take it a step further and get a high-tech water bottle.
6. Dilute sugary drinks with water and ice.
7. Keep a gallon jug nearby.
8. Eat water-rich foods.
9. Use a marked water bottle.
10. Anytime you drain your glass or bottle, fill it back up.
11. Keep water bottles filled up around the house and in your car and all your bags.
12. Drink a glass of water every time you’re waiting for coffee to brew.
The media is an important ally in any public health situation. It serves the role of being a source of correct information as well as an advocate for correct health behaviors. But before the media can take on that role, it needs to understand the virus, the issues surrounding it, policy and practices, and finally, recommended correct behaviors.”
The local and international media play a vital role as the link between health workers and the larger public. Health authorities educate and entrust the media with essential health information, which is then relayed to the public in readily accessible formats through a variety of media channels. For instance, in order to disseminate information about the avian influenza to the wider public, the Government tasked the Academy for Educational Development with the responsibility of developing a training program to help the local media understand the complexity of this disease so that they would be able to report about it effectively
Being an important social organization mass media has wide reach and access that can influence the public by improving their health education level. … In other words, media is instrumental in bringing behavioural changes in knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about alth and healthy behaviours.
Try to drink water regularly throughout the day, rather than loading on huge amounts in one go – although extremely rare, drinking huge amounts of water in a short period of time can actually cause water intoxication
health communication 