WATER- A SOURCE OF LIFE

You can go twenty-five days without food; six days without sleep but only four days without water.

So what do you think is the most important?

Water is the main component of saliva. It’s critical for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy. If you find your mouth is drier than usual, increase your water intake.

Proper hydration is crucial to staying in good cognitive shape. Research has shown that inadequate water intake can negatively impact our focus, alertness, and short-term memory.

The amount of water you will need depends on the environment and climate you live in, how physically active you are, and whether you are suffering from an illness, ailment or any other health problems.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER

Water and weather, is a delicate balance between evaporation and precipitation and is the primary medium through which we can feel the effects of climate change through severe consequences like droughts, floods, melting glaciers, rise in sea-level and storms. The result is impact on water points, sanitation facilities, contaminated water sources and people’s health, food security and productivity.

Climate change is caused by excessive greenhouse gas emissions. It’s creating a vicious cycle in which higher temperatures, changes in rainfall and water contamination cause environmental consequences that make global warming worse and damage the health of the planet further.

Only 3% of the planet’s water is freshwater, and of this, two-thirds is captured in glaciers and polar ice. In the current climate predictions, safeguarding the water we have in the supplies we need for a global population set to reach 10 billion by 2050 will be a challenging task. Ensuring that everyone has access to sustainable water and sanitation services is a critical climate change mitigation strategy for the years ahead.

The different organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, UNCCD, WEF etc. have published various reports to warn us about the effect that climate change will have in the next 50 years.

· As per WHO the increasing temperatures on the planet and changes in rainfalls will reduce crop yields in many tropical developing regions, where food security is already a problem.

· In a publication by United Nations in 2018 it was stated that as the population and demand for water is growing and the effects of climate changes is intensifying more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress.

· United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) mentioned in a report that with the existing climate change scenario, by 2030, water scarcity in some arid and semi-arid places will displace between 24 million and 700 million people.

· Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in an article titled Climate change, water and food security predicted that by the 2080s, land unsuitable for agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa die to severe climate, soil or terrain constraints may increase by 30 to 60 million hectares.

· UNICEF in 2019 published an article saying that climate change will have its most direct impact on child survival through three direct channels: changing disease environments, greater food insecurity, and threats to water and sanitation. In another article published in 2017 it is estimated that by 2040, one in four of the world’s children under 18 -some 600 million in all-will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.

· The 2015 edition of the Global Risks report published by World Economic Forum(WEF) said that the scientists, farmers and the business community consider variability, casted as ‘extreme weather events’, as one of the most likely production risks over the next ten years .

We must act for the climate change that is happening now. Water is part of the solution. Using water more efficiently and transitioning to solar powered water systems, decreasing emissions by using less energy or switching to renewable energy helps to slow down global warming. Turning lights off when not in use, using car-pools and insulating your home to make it more energy-efficient can all help reduce energy use.

Buying environmentally responsible products and eating a low-impact diet are other lifestyle changes that can have a positive impact.

Everyone has a role to play, and we cannot afford to wait. Start now and save water.

WHY DRINKING WATER IS IMPORTANT?

At the onset of summer the most important thing that our body needs is being hydrated.

Water makes up about 60 percent of our body weight. Our body depends on water to survive.

Health professionals recommend drinking 6–8 glass of water per day. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is-

· About 15.5 cups (3.7 litres) of fluids for men

· About 11.5 cups (2.7 litres) of fluids for women

These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20 percent of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.

Here are some ways to make sure that you drink enough water:

· Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. Keep taking sips from it as and when you feel the need.

· Track your water intake. Make sure you consume the optimum amount every day, which is a minimum of half your body weight, in ounces/milligrams.

Hydration for Health is a site that helps you understand if you are drinking enough water. Check your hydration here.

HOW DOES WATER HELP?

· Helps in digestion and gets rid of body wastes through perspiration, urination and bowel movements.

· Regulates body temperature.

· Maintains sodium balance.

· Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells

· Lubricates and cushions joints

· Protects organs and tissues

WHAT IS DEHYDRATION?

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

WARNING SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

The warning signs include-

· Dry mouth and tongue

· Weakness

· Low blood pressure

· Dizziness

· Confusion

· Dark colour urine.

WHAT IS OVER HYDRATION?

Over hydration also known as water intoxication, water poisoning, hyper hydration, or water toxemia, is a fatal disturbance in the brain function that occurs due to excessive water intake which pushes the normal balance of electrolytes in the body outside the safe limits.

In simple words over hydration is an imbalance of fluids that happens when your body holds on to more fluid than your kidneys can remove. Drinking too much water or not having a way to remove it can cause water levels to build up. This dilutes important substances in your blood. Endurance athletes, such as those who run marathons and triathlons, sometimes drink too much water before and during an event.

Over hydration can be of two types-

Increased water intake

When you drink more water than your kidney can remove in your urine which causes too much water to accumulate in your bloodstream.

Retaining water

Several medical conditions can cause your body to retain water. This occurs when your body can’t get rid of water properly.

Both of these types are dangerous because they throw off the balance between water and sodium in your blood.

SYMPTOMS OF OVER HYDRATION

· Nausea and vomiting

· Headache

· Confusion or disorientation

Untreated over-hydration can lead to dangerously low levels of sodium in your blood. This can cause more severe symptoms, such as:

· Muscle weakness, spasms, or cramps

· Seizures

· Unconsciousness

· Coma

“Water! You may not like it, but you have to drink it.”― Anthony T. Hincks

Drinking water may sometime seem boring. Why not add some flavours to it to make it exciting.

Ingredients

· 1 cup fruit such as citrus or berries

· 2 sprigs herbs

· 8 cups water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in a pitcher. Muddle to release the juices or leave the fruit to float.

CONCLUSION

Water plays an important role in how the world adapts to the effects of climate change. A combined view on water, the biosphere and environmental flows is required to devise sustainable agricultural and economic systems that will allow us to slow down climate change, protect us from extremes and adapt to the unavoidable effects.

Let us use water, the source of life consciously, savour each sip to quench the thirst making us healthy and content.