By Kathryn Forsyth
Public Health Dietitian
Grey Bruce Public Health

 

Do you remember drinking from the garden hose as a child?

For those who did, it may seem odd that younger generations are lugging around large water bottles everywhere they go.

Using designer, refillable water bottles or trendy commercial bottled water may be a choice, but access to safe drinking water is a necessity for all.

Let’s explore the facts and find out why we need access to adequate and safe water every day.

 

No Water, No life

The average person can survive for only three days without water.

About 65% of the human body is made up of water, which is responsible for the following functions:

• Controlling your blood pressure and body temperature;
• Moving nutrients and waste through your body;
• Protecting and cushioning your joints and organs;
• Decreasing your risk of dehydration and heat stroke; and
• Helping you avoid feeling weak, light-headed or dizzy.

Your body’s fluid needs depend on your age, sex, level of physical activity, and any health concerns you may be managing (eg. constipation, medications).

 

Adults typically need 2 to 3 litres of fluid daily to maintain normal body functions.

However, you may need more fluids in hot weather or when you are more physically active.

Common dietary sources of fluid include:

• Water
• Milk or plant-based beverages
• Whole fruits and vegetables or juice
• Coffee or tea
• Yogurt and puddings
• Soups, stews and smoothies
• Pureed foods with added liquid
• Liquid meal replacements

 

Issues with caffeine and alcohol consumption

Water is the recommended drink of choice in Canada’s Food Guide.

This guidance suggests we limit our intake of drinks high in sodium (such as vegetable juices), sugars (pop, fruit punches, iced teas, lemonades), and saturated fat (creamy lattes or milkshakes) as well as caffeinated (coffee, tea, energy drinks) or alcoholic beverages.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues with caffeine and alcohol.

Caffeine gives your body the feeling of alertness without truly providing your body with the energy it needs. Some people are caffeine-sensitive and this can put them at risk for cardiac events.

In general, caffeine can cause:

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Nervousness

You need to eat food to provide energy for your muscles and brain to work effectively, otherwise, you risk feeling faint, shaky, or irritable. Aim to include adequate food energy and limit caffeine-containing beverages to two to three cups per day.

Alcohol can be damaging to health.

There is no safe limit established for the consumption of alcohol. Drinking alcohol has negative consequences that add up the more you drink. Drinking less is better for you and those around you. It reduces your risk of injury and violence, and many other health problems that can shorten your life.

If you drink alcohol, use these tips – adapted from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction – to help decrease your drinking:

• Set a limit and stay within it. Aim for fewer than 2 drinks on any given day;
• Drink slowly and include plenty of water in between your alcoholic beverages;
• Choose alcohol-free or lower-alcohol beverages instead;
• Eat food before and while you are drinking;
• Plan alcohol-free activities or weekends to get out of the habit.

Water: The most effective way to hydrate

Water remains the most effective way to hydrate your body.

Following your thirst cues and eating a well-balanced diet can help you get the fluid you need to stay hydrated on a daily basis. However, thirst may not be recognized as easily as you get older, so watch for other signs of dehydration like:

• Headache;
• Dry lips and mouth;
• Dizziness and feeling faint;
• Low blood pressure;
• Increased heart rate;
• Dark yellow, strong-smelling urine;
• Flushed skin (sudden reddening of the skin).

Be prepared for emergencies, like extreme heat alerts, ice storms, or flooding, by maintaining a stock of bottled water and non-perishable food supplies in case tap water becomes unavailable.

Older adults and young children are especially susceptible to extreme heat, which can lead to heat illnesses, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat edema (swelling of the hands, feet and ankles), heat rash (prickly heat), and heat cramps (muscle cramps).

You can reduce these risks by:

• Staying indoors or in the shade;
• Reducing your activity level;
• Using air conditioning or a fan.

Drinking water has become a health-promoting habit for many, hence the multitude of water bottles and dispensers you see everywhere you go. You too can benefit from water refill stations at local parks, public buildings, and recreation facilities. In this way, municipalities have made it easier for you to embrace the drink more water messaging.

Still not in the habit?

Try some of these tips to increase your fluid intake:

• Start each day with a glass of water and give thanks for access to clean water;
• Keep a bottle or glass of water nearby and sip throughout the day – refill as needed;
• Include fluids with each meal and snack;
• Dislike the taste of plain water? Flavour it with berries, lemon, cucumber, nuts, or seeds;
• Try a temperature change. Keep it extra cold in the fridge or drink warm water (boil and let cool like a cup of tea – it is not recommended to drink or prepare food with water from the hot water tap).

 

Water is crucial to health

Many people take access to safe drinking water for granted, but not all people in Canada have this privilege, especially Indigenous Peoples living in remote communities.

Water has traditionally played an important role in many cultures, including as part of cleansing rituals, spiritual purification, and providing food sources and routes for transportation. Interestingly, women are often responsible for the stewardship of the water in traditional communities.

Water is crucial to life in so many ways.

The shorelines and waterways of our region support business and industry as well as provide a source of recreation and natural beauty that attracts visitors all year long.

Freshwater ecosystems, like the Great Lakes, wetlands, and rivers, are integral in the global water cycle.

Human impacts on these ecosystems threaten both human and environmental well-being.

As citizens, we can raise awareness of the need for safe drinking water access along with water conservation as a national issue, while taking action locally.

We can avoid using drinking water for watering lawns, plant more drought-tolerant pollinator gardens, edible plants and ground cover instead of grass, as permitted by municipal bylaws.

Employing more ways to protect and celebrate safe and abundant water will ensure that water can continue to do its wonders for the planet and for us.