Water as an Essential Element for Human Life - Essay Example

?Water is an essential element that is needed for human life. It is estimated that the human body could last up to 30 days without food, but it can only survive without water for a maximum of one week. The first life on earth emerged from complex molecules that exist in the water on earth. Water is necessary for the maintenance of the body since it includes 20 minerals need as part of a healthy diet. The human body at birth is composed of 80% water, while full grown humans have a composition of approximately 70% water. Humans can drink up to 3 gallons or 48 eight ounce cups of water each day. Along with the liquid water humans consume they also get a water intake in the food they eat since most foods contained a percentage of water. When people get involve in exercise or heavy physical activity the weight loss that occurs is from water instead of fat. Water is very important for the human body since it helps increase the metabolism, while at the same time controlling appetite. Water provides the body with energy. When people get dehydrated they may experience fatigue due to a lack of energy. People that consume proper amounts of water each day will decrease the changes of getting cancer. The consumption of water can help decrease or alleviate back pains, muscles aches, and headaches. Another benefit of consuming water is that it helps flush out the body of bacteria. Water can help the digestive process after the consumption of food. It is a natural moisturizer of the skin. Water is essential for proper circulation and it is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body. There are different specific functions that water performs in the human body. Water bathes the cells of the body and lubricates and cleanses internal and external body surfaces. Water tears lubricate the eye to wash away dirt. The synovial fluids lubricate the joint, and the saliva lubricates the mouth which makes it easier for human to swallow food. Water protects the fetus of pregnant women. It is also noted that human blood is composed mainly of water. Blood flows through the body delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells and returning waste products to the lungs and kidneys for excretion. Water functions in chemical reactions; the chemical reactions of metabolism that support life take place in water. Water also helps regulate body temperature. When the human body does not consume adequate amounts of water it can become a health risk that can cause the death of a person. Children that do not consumer adequate amounts of water are at greater risk. In the Sub-Saharan region of Africa thousands of people are dying everyday due to dehydration. In Africa due to a shortage of water people use 1/6th the amount of water in comparison with the United States. When the human body has high losses of water the losses reduce the blood volume in the body which negatively impacts the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells and the removal of waste products is affected. Some of the early symptoms of dehydration include thirst, headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, dark colored urine, and dry eyes and mouth. Some of the later symptoms of dehydration include the inability to concentrate, lack of physical energy, nausea, confusion, and disorientation. To function the human body requires the transmission of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscles. These activities occur due to the movement of electrically charged ions dissolved in water. The ions that conduct electrical current are called electrolytes. The three main electrolytes in the human body are sodium, potassium, and chloride. Sodium and potassium are positively charged ions. Sodium is located outside the cell, while potassium is located inside the cell which is an area that is 30 times more concentrated. Due to the imbalance between sodium and potassium the cell membrane attracts sodium to it. After this reaction occurs the positive charge cells increase causing the electrical charge inside cell membrane to be reversed which triggers an increase in sodium permeability on the adjacent patch of the membrane. The third electrolyte is chloride which is often found in salt. When a person tastes something salty they need water to dissolve the chloride contained in the food in order to eliminate the sudden thirst that occurs. Craving for salty foods are due to psychological cravings and are not due to physiological necessities. The daily consumption of water is an example of a physiological need. The kidneys are the primary regulators of sodium, chloride, and potassium. When the intake of electrolytes is low excretion in the urine is decreased and they increase when is high. Increases in potassium in the blood levels can be dangerous. Potassium is regulated in the long term based on the release of proteins that cause the kidney to excrete potassium and retain sodium. The nutritionists in the United States recommended that people increase their potassium intake and decrease their sodium usage. There are drinks that people consume that can negatively impact the hydration levels of the body. Two of those drinks are coffee or caffeine based drinks and alcoholic beverages. These drinks can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body. People that go on binge drinking usually wake up in the morning feeling completely dehydrated due to the abuse of alcohol consumption. Alcoholics usually suffer from kidney failures when they become senior citizens. People should take the topic of dehydration seriously because it can have a negative impact in the health of a person. In order to prevent dehydration people should drink at least 8 cups of water everyday (Ask, 2011). They should limit their consumption of caffeine based drinks as well as their consumption of alcoholic beverages. People that have family members that are alcoholics should talk to their family members about the danger of dehydration. Often alcoholics go the entire day without drinking water due to their substance abuse problem. Water is an essential element for human life. People must consume water each day in order to comply with their physiological need for the liquid. People must consume at least a gallon of water each day to stay hydrated. The lack of consumption of water can cause many diseases, while the proper consumption can help prevent diseases. The price of tap water in the United States is very low. People must create a routine of consuming water daily since water is a precious liquid needed for the survival of our species. References Ask.com (2011). What Steps May People Take to Make Sure They Don’t Become Dehydrated? Retrieved November 6, 2011 from http://www.ask.com/questions-about/What-Steps-May-People-Take-to-Ensure-They-Do-Not-Become-Dehydrated Read More