Water helps keep the body well hydrated, which is essential because almost every cell in the body needs water to function properly. "Think of water as a nutrient your body needs that is present in liquids, plain water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of water lost each day," says Joan Koelemay, RD, dietitian for the Beverage Institute, an industry group. Kaiser Permanente nephrologist Steven Guest, MD, agrees: "Fluid losses occur continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health," he says. Drink about half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Drink no more than 12 to 16 ounces at a time. Drink one quart of water before breakfast if possible. Drink 8 to 16 ounces of water 30 to 60 minutes before meals for optimal nutrient utilization. Avoid drinking anything during meals or immediately following meals since fluids dilute the digestive juices. If you must drink fluids during meals, sipping water or warm tea is the best. Wait at least 30 minutes and preferably 60 minutes after a meal before drinking water again. Water covers some 70% of the Earth's surface. Approximately 97.2% of it is saline, just 2.8% fresh. Potable water is available in almost all populated areas of the Earth, although it may be expensive and the supply may not always be sustainable. Sources where water may be obtained include: Ground sources such as groundwater, springs, hyporheic zones and aquifers Precipitation which includes rain, hail, snow, fog, etc Surface water such as rivers, streams, glaciers Biological sources such as plants Desalinated seawater Water supply network Atmospheric water generator Springs are often used as sources for bottled waters. Tap water, delivered by domestic water systems in developed nations, refers to water piped to homes and delivered to a tap or spigot. For these water sources to be consumed safely they must receive adequate treatment and meet drinking water regulations. The most efficient way to transport and deliver potable water is through pipes. Plumbing can require significant capital investment. Some systems suffer high operating costs. The cost to replace the deteriorating water and sanitation infrastructure of industrialized countries may be as high as $200 billion a year. Leakage of untreated and treated water from pipes reduces access to water. Leakage rates of 50% are not uncommon in urban systems. Water is the main component of the human body. In fact, the body is composed of between 55 and 78 percent water, depending on body size. Adequate and regular water consumption has numerous health benefits. As an added plus, it has no calories, fat, carbohydrates or sugar. The amount of water you consume everyday plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body. Experts recommend drinking eight to 10 glasses of water each day to maintain good health. Ask your doctor
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