Water is the most important part of a healthy diet. Drinking a lot of it can help you lose weight, improve your immunity and feel healthier in general. For more information on what you need to do to make sure you’re getting enough water for your body, explore this article!
Bacteria and Other Contaminants
Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and more can be found in tap water. A majority of these are safe for people to ingest, but some are harmful. There are both natural contaminants as well as man-made contaminants that can contaminate your drinking water. Common bacteria like legionella can be found in unfiltered water, so testing for legionella is crucial to determine how contaminated your water is. Here are a few examples of what you would find in the average glass of tap water:
- Natural Contaminants: Arsenic, asbestos, uranium hexafluoride
- Man-made Contaminants: Chlorite, perchlorate, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) like bromine and chlorine
Effects of Tap Water on Your Health
Drinking contaminated water isn’t good for your health however there are many benefits to well water; the contaminants mixed in the water can cause food poisoning or other diseases that could even kill you. If you drink dirty water for a long period it will damage major organs like your liver and kidneys since they’re responsible for cleaning toxins out of your body. It can also lead to cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders if left untreated. Consuming unsafe levels of fluoride over a long period can lead to poisoning. In children, they can develop mottled teeth and skeletal fluorosis which causes pain and limited movement in the joints.
Signs of Drinking Unsafe Water
Bad breath, dry mouth, excessive thirst, nausea, diarrhea, etc. are all signs you might have a water-related illness. Fever is also a sign that you may need medical attention as it could be an infection or a disease caused by drinking contaminated water. If any of these symptoms present themselves for an extended amount of time every day then you should go see your doctor right away. They will run tests on your stool and urine to determine if there are bacteria or parasites in your system.
Filtering Your Water
The average human should drink about six glasses of water every day, but certain factors make it hard to achieve this. For instance, some people eat more salt than others which makes them retain water more often leading to dehydration. Also, the environment you live in can play a part in your daily hydration needs; if you live somewhere hot like Florida or Texas then you need to replace even more liquids since sweating increases your intake.
Drinking filtered water is not only better for your health but also better for the environment. It decreases the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfills and improves overall water quality for everyone who drinks it (which is everyone). A good place to start filtering tap water is with a shower filter as most water-related diseases are spread from person to person through the skin.
A popular filter is activated charcoal water filters; they block chlorine and various chemicals that can be found in tap water. They also kill bacteria using the same process as antibacterial soap. Another type of filter you can use is an ion exchange system which uses electricity to remove contaminants like iron, lead, mercury, and more from your drinking water. You can also attach a filtration system under your sink or on your faucets which will save space too! If for any reason you’re not satisfied with how filtered your water tastes then try adding some lemon juice or cucumber slices for extra flavor.
Choosing A Water Filter
When choosing a water filter, make sure it has been approved by the NSF to meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. This means that the model you choose will not only improve your health but also protect your wallet from being constantly refilled since you’ll only have to replace the filters every two months instead of buying a new bottle every day.
Important Factors For Staying Hydrated
The most important factor for staying hydrated is to drink enough water every day, but there are many other things you can do to stay hydrated throughout the day. For instance, if it’s hot outside then you should drink cold water because it goes down faster than warm or room temperature liquids and enters your bloodstream faster. You might also want to try cooling your body by showering under cold water before exercising in addition to drinking lots of chilled liquid beforehand. Start hydrating early by drinking 2-3 glasses of water right when you wake up in the morning since that’s the time of day where most people are dehydrated.
Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of water so eating fresh produce will boost your hydration levels too. Also, cereal is a good source for staying hydrated; one bowl of cereal contains more water than you get from 6 glasses of milk. For baking, using fruit juice instead of oil or butter will make your baked goods moist and delicious.
Do You Drink Enough Water?
The average person should drink six glasses of water a day, but children and those living in hot or dry climates need more than that. Additionally, pregnant women need to increase their intake by about one extra glass per day. If you don’t think you’re getting enough liquids try adding some fruit juice to your water or eating foods with large amounts of water like cucumbers, zucchini, strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, and cabbage.
Drinking three liters of water every single day is the best way to improve your health over time. However, if drinking that much at once isn’t possible then work up to it gradually since many cases of chronic dehydration are caused by not drinking enough water over time. It could take up to 2 weeks to get your body hydrated enough for you to start feeling healthier and more energized, but it’s definitely worth the wait.
Drinking enough water is the single most important factor in having a healthy diet. This article has given you some great tips for staying properly hydrated and making sure your body gets what it needs to function at its best.
