Let’s start with a fun fact…
Did you know that the human body consists of about 60% water? Incredible, right? Water is actually the main component of the human body and is vital for organ functions, transporting nutrients to muscles, and for regulating the body’s temperature. And interestingly, water content is usually lower in women’s bodies compared to men. It also varies with age. For example, it’s about 75% in new-borns and roughly 50% in the elderly.
So, how much water do you really need?
Fluids are vital for your body to function at its best. As a rule of thumb, adults should drink 1-1,5 litres of water per day – over and above the water ingested through food (which can add up to about 1-1,5 litres a day). Importantly though, the amount of fluids needed can vary dramatically depending on how physically active you are or the type of climate you live in. Pregnancy is another factor to consider, as women who are expecting are advised to drink an additional 0,3 litres per day; while lactating women are advised to increase their fluid intake relative to the amount of breast milk they produce.
Perform at your peak
Lack of fluids is one thing that will degrade your performance the fastest. Mild dehydration (defined as a 1–2% loss of body weight through fluid depletion) can have big impact, causing things like headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite and even vertigo. When you hit 3% your endurance, strength and performance take a serious pounding. To put it into perspective, for every litre of water we lose by sweating, our body temperature increases by about 0,3° C. This affects the hearts ability to pump blood and, on average, can elevate your heart rate by eight beats per minute!
Strike the right balance
What most people don’t know is that blending water with carbohydrates boosts the body’s ability to absorb fluids, since each gram of carbohydrates can attract about 2,7 g of water. What’s more, if you’re sweating heavily, there’s a good chance your body’s electrolyte balance is out of whack. That’s a hydration no-no. But the good news is you can correct this by adding electrolytes (salt) to your fluid.
The ingredients for success
The experts reckon it’s better to drink small quantities of fluid at regular intervals, rather than drink large amounts sporadically. So, it’s always a good idea to keep a bottle with you to fill up and sip on during the day. But if you really want the job done right, then Wellness by Oriflame’s shakes and soups are a winner because they contain everything you need to maintain your fluid balance – water, carbohydrates and salt!
