Nutrition: the science that links food to health and disease.
In such a broad and changing subject, there are many options and interesting aspects that we would all benefit from understanding a little bit better. But there’s one thing that is absolutely vital: water. Life as we know it could not exist without water. It is the greatest component of the human body, making up 50% to 70% of the body’s weight. (and that’s a lot!) The reason for such a great variance depends on your muscle mass and body fat percentage. Because lean muscle tissues contain about 73% water (versus 20% for adipose tissue/fat), the more muscle you have = higher total body water content. “Well that’s great, but what does that do?” In case you find yourself strained with no food or water, the person with the higher muscle mass (body water content) will be able to survive longer… so lift weights, just in case 😉
What else is water good for (I mean other than surviving!)? It contributes to regulate your body temperature so drink up, and build lean muscle tissues: you might save on your next electricity bill! There’s also all that fuss about how much exactly water should we drink per day. Aside from all the water-packed food you eat every day (tomato, milk, potato…) women should have approximately 9 cups (2.2L) and men about 13 cups (3.3L). Let’s clarify a couple things though: alcohol and highly caffeinated drinks do not count. And of course if you workout you need to adjust consequently by replacing the lost water weight throughout a sweat session. And don’t wait until your are thirsty because that means you already are dehydrated!
Benefits of Drinking Water:
- healthy skin
- helps in weight loss and increased metabolic rate
- improves athletic performance
- reduces the risk of some cancers (colon, bladder)
- lessens the risks of joint pain and arthritis
- may help reduce high cholesterol levels and hypertension
Question #2: how many glass of water do you (REALLY!) drink per day?
Three Green Leaves 