The Importance of Water in Our Life - Essay Example

We all need water for survival, just like how we need oxygen for survival. The significance of water is simply unimaginable. It is a major component in our body and plays a lot of roles. 60 percent of our body weight alone is entirely made of water! Did you know that the mere functioning of the human cell even depends on water? Hands down, water is vital. Well, better get that glass of water before letting you in on how important water is to the human body.

• Thermoregulation

Thermoregulation is the process by which the body regulates its core temperature regardless of the external temperature using various mechanisms. Blood one of the components used in thermoregulation is mainly made up of plasma. The blood in our body consists of 55 percent of plasma in which 90 percent of it is water) while the remaining is made up of blood cells such as the red blood cells which carry oxygen, the white blood cell, and the platelets.  

• Digestion

Did you know that digestion begins in the mouth and ends in the anus? The saliva in your mouth and extracellular fluid, which is mainly made up of water, contains enzymes amylase and ptyalin, which are responsible for the digestion of carbohydrates in your body. Your saliva is not only responsible for digestion but is also important for lubricating your food, making it easier for you to swallow.

• Prevents constipation

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like you are straining or having difficulties passing fecal matter? If you have then, you are having constipation. The water we take is responsible for enabling smooth bowel movements in the large intestine. This prevents constipation. So, if you want better bowel movements and a healthy body, then plenty of water is what you need. Remember that it is important to keep your bowels healthy to get a healthy body.

• Absorption

Ever wondered how the food we eat reaches your cells and your body systems? Once the food is ingested, it is broken down into smaller particles and made into a bolus. The available water dissolves the nutrient content in the food and then acted upon by the enzymes, which further breaks it down into ready for absorption. Through processes such as osmosis and diffusion, water and fatty acids are absorbed into the body. The cells in the large intestine also absorb water through osmosis.

• Protects internal structures

Did you know that the brain and the spinal cord or what is usually term as the nervous system is suspended in cerebrospinal fluid, which is made of water? Yes, the cerebrospinal fluid is an important fluid that protects the brain from coup and contra coup effects when you get into any form of accident that involves the head. The cerebrospinal fluid also contains dissolved substances such as nutrients, glucose, electrolytes, and proteins, which are important for the nervous system. It also provides a reservoir for glucose and other substances. The synovial fluid, which is found in every joint of the body, which prevents friction, also contains this vital component.

• Excretion

It is the process by which waste products are removed from the body. Our body needs to excrete to remove waste products, that is why there are specialized cells in the body to perform this function. The kidneys are specialized in the excretion of liquid waste from the body. 

 Through osmosis, important substances such as water that was to be excreted via the kidneys are reabsorbed back into the body. Osmosis allows molecules to move from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of high concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.

 Reabsorption in the kidneys is mainly through active transport, which mainly uses oxygen to produce energy. Glucose is the body is broken down in the presence of oxygen to produce energy. The skin, which is also an important organ in the excretion of waste products from the body, aids in excretion through sweating. Urea, ammonia, uric acid, and much other liquid waste are excreted in the form of sweat from the skin and the form of urine in the kidneys. 

We all depend on this precious component. Everything and every part of our body needs this vital component. Every human, every plant, every living organism needs it.  The importance of water in our life can never be overemphasized. It is a vital component for us. Your body alone needs at least 8 glasses of it to function properly, whereas the secret behind a healthy body is to drinking plenty of this vital component.