water

• around 60% of your body is water - its found in every cell of your body, as well as fluids like blood, sweat and saliva
• our bodies need water to:

  • eliminate waste from the body
  • control body temperature
  • aid the process of digestion
• you get water from drinks like:

  • water
  • fruit juice
  • tea
  • lemonade
• water is also found in food:

  • vegetables
  • fruit
  • meat
  • bread
• our body loses water in a variety of ways including:

  • sweat
  • breath
  • urine
  • faeces
• if you dont drink enough water to replace the water you've used or lost, you become dehydrated and your body cant work properly
• dehydration also causes:

  • slower reactions and poor decision making, as your brain needs water to function well
  • blood to thicken, making it harder for the heart to pump the blood around the body
  • an increase in body temperature (the body cant sweat properly)
• you should have about 2 litres of water a day - but if youre hot or exercising you need to drink more to get enough water in your system
• overhydration can also be very serious. its caused by drinking huge amounts of water in a short period of time, leading to headaches, nausea and confusion
• too much water also dilutes he concentration of nutrients in our blood - this can affect the function of organs like the kidneys which in some cases can be fatal