Did you know that water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight, and that while you can survive over three weeks without food, you can only survive a few days without water? The human brain is made up of 95 per cent water, blood is 82pc water and the lungs are 90pc water. When the water in your body is reduced by just 1pc, you become thirsty. A mere 2pc 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, such as a computer screen. So if you’re having trouble reading this, drink up!

Most adults lose about two litres of water in a day through regular body functions like urination, sweating and breathing, but those who live in or work in warmer environments tend to lose more. Hence, it is important we replace our fluids regularly to compensate for this loss. Experts say that, on average, eight eight-ounce glasses per day will suffice. However, the amount needs to be tailored to meet the needs of every individual.

To quench thirst, it’s recommended that one should have water and not carbonated fizzy drinks as a cold soda may feel nice going down, but that does not actually replenish the body and fills you up with sugar. While some fruit juices and green tea may account for fluid intake, don’t reach out for caffeinated drinks as they have a mild diuretic effect, which ultimately defeats the purpose. It’s best to drink twice as much as it takes to quench your thirst and drink throughout the day to prevent dehydration.

Water is calorie-free and hydrating and its benefits are priceless

Water is as important to human body as oil and fuel is to a car. In fact, all the cell and organ functions of our body depend on water for their functioning. It carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion by forming stomach secretions, flushes our bodies of wastes and keeps our kidneys healthy. It keeps our moisture-rich organs (our skin, eyes, mouth and nose) functioning well; it lubricates and cushions our joints, and regulates our body temperature and metabolism.

Water also plays a crucial role in disease prevention. Some doctors believe that proper hydration can help prevent or delay the onset of chronic joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, because water reduces inflammation and promotes cartilage health. Adequate water consumption can also slow the signs of aging and improve conditions such as constipation, diabetes, hypoglycaemia, obesity, arthritis, kidney stones, dry skin, wrinkles, cataracts and glaucoma.

Water is also beneficial for weight loss. If we don’t drink enough water the body retains whatever water it has, causing swelling in our hands, feet, and legs. But when we drink enough water, our body does not need to hold on to the scarce water.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or you simply want to look and feel healthier, one of the best ways to rid your body of harmful toxins is to drink water. Just six to eight glasses every day will help to keep you hydrated and keep your vital organs in their best possible health.

If you don’t want to drink plain water, add lemon, mint, cucumber, ginger, melon, raspberries that will not only boost the taste, they will also help to flush harmful toxins out of your body. Certain detox waters are available in the market but you can make your own detox water at home as well.

Just add two litres of spring water, two litres of a medium grapefruit (sliced), half a cucumber (sliced), half each of a sliced lemon and lime and a couple of mint leaves. Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours and drink at least two litres a day for optimal results. Cucumbers are diuretics and can help you to avoid water retention. Lemons and limes help to flush out toxins from your digestive tract and grapefruits help you to burn fat.

Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and about half a medium apple (sliced) to 1/3 litres of water. You can also add a bit of sweetener if you want. Blend everything except the apples, then just add apples and drink. This flushes out nasty toxins and really does help you to drop a few pounds, too.

Just mix about eight cups of water with a medium cucumber (wedged or sliced), a whole lemon (wedged or sliced) and about 10 mint leaves (or however many you prefer). Mix in a large pitcher and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Add juice of half a lemon to about 1/3 litres of water at room temperature; grate half-inch blob of fresh ginger root to this and drink first thing in the morning. As ginger is a natural pain reliever not only will it help to relieve pain all day, it will cleanse toxins from your body throughout the day and the lemon juice helps to release those nasty toxins so they’ll flush out better.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a tall glass of water; drinking this every morning will flush out toxins and keep them from building up.

Add half lemon sliced, half lime sliced, half grapefruit sliced or orange, one cup of sliced cucumber with peel, one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger and a handful of fresh peppermint leaves to two litres of water; refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before drinking and discard after 24 hours as the citrus fruits tend to get a little mushy. This detox water has ingredients that will clean out your kidneys, eliminate bloating and help you to enjoy much healthier skin. It also aids in digestion.

Add two tablespoons of raspberries (fresh or frozen), two tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, a medium-sized sliced lime to about two litres of water. Muddle the raspberries just a bit if you want more flavour. You have a very tasty detox water to help flush those toxins from your kidneys, liver and colon.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, March 22nd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play