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Water is essential to the health of men, children and women

June is Men’s Health Month and Youth Month, which places a strong focus on the wellbeing of more than half of the population. It’s impossible to focus on health, without starting with water. Water is essential to life and good health and plays a key role in detoxing the body, getting rid of any salt and sugar lingering in our digestive systems and maintains the health of many of our organs.

In fact, the Men’s Health magazine quotes a study published in the journal of the American Dietetic Association, which states that drinking two 230ml glasses of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner, significantly fights fat, heart disease and improves our physical and mental health.

An organ which relies significantly on water intake are your kidneys which are responsible for many functions that keep the body as healthy as possible, including blood pressure control, water balance, cleaning your blood and vitamin D activation which is vital for strong bones, muscles and overall health. A scientific article published by the US National Library of Medicine states that “evidence from animal and human studies suggests a protective effect of higher water intake on kidney function and cardiovascular disease” and as such it’s essential to maintaining your health.

Many people assume that drinking beverages containing alcohol and caffeine, such as soft drinks, coffee and beer provide you with adequate water intake. But these are less than ideal due to their diuretic properties, which cause the body to lose fluid.

So how much water should you drink, especially during the winter months when we often don’t hydrate enough? The Institute of Medicine has determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 litres) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is about 9 cups (2.2 litres) of total beverages a day. Children should be drinking 7 glasses (1.5 litres) for 9 to12 year olds. 8 to 10 glasses (2 litres) for 13+ years.

Always do the best for you health and ensure your preferred drink of choice is purified water straight from the tap. As SA’s no.1 water purification specialist, we provide a wide range of water purification solutions, designed to suit both home and your business. For more information visit www.h2o.co.za