No one can argue about the health benefits of drinking an adequate amount of quality drinking water on a daily basis. A mere 2% drop in our body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print - are you having trouble reading this? Drink up!
Whilst there is a heavy reliance of bottled water as a source of drinking water in the UAE, it can be costly both on our pockets and on the environment. An alternative source of water is filtered water. Having access to quality, filtered water is quickly becoming a popular replacement to plastic bottled water consumption in the home and work place where bottle-free filtered drinking water dispensers can be connected and installed.
Water filters work by removing any contaminants that might be present in the water such as sediment particles, trihalomethanes (THM’s) and also focuses on removing any metals, bacteria, chemical residues and other volatile organic compounds. Furthermore, water filters can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers by removing chlorine and chlorine by-products from the drinking water. A solid block carbon water filter will also selectively remove contaminants from drinking water while retaining healthy mineral deposits that balance the pH of the drinking water.
How much is the right amount of water to drink?
We have all probably heard that we should be drinking about 8 glasses containing 8 ounces of water a day or 3 litres of water for a male adult and 2 litres of water for a female adult. Again, opinions on how much water we should be drinking varies but what is clear is that we expel water through breathing, perspiration, urination and bowel movements and it is important that we replenish these lost fluids. The bottom line is that mild dehydration can have negative effects on both physical and mental performance so it is important to remain hydrated.
Whilst the 8x8 rule is easy to remember it may not be fitting for everyone. The first step to knowing how much water to drink is to know your body weight. The amount of water a person should drink varies on their body weight and a number of other factors such as the environment and the amount of physical activity someone engages in. The general rule of thumb to remain hydrated at a healthy level is to drink around half an ounce of water for each pound you weigh every day. If you weigh 150lbs, you would need to drink around 75 ounces (2.2 litres per day), more if you were also doing some physical exercise.
Here are some of our top 3 tips for staying happy, healthy and hydrated in the hot summer months:
- Throughout the day, have water constantly available; keep a re-usable water bottle on your desk so you can top up your bottle throughout the day and carry the bottle of water with you when you are on the go.
- Don’t forget to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables as these have high water content and will contribute to your daily water intake.
- Remember to exercise when you are well hydrated. Drink plenty of water within the hour before, during and after your exercise session.
With thanks to Liquid of Life.