HEALTH WATCH — “I’m dying of thirst!”

Well, you just might. It sounds so simple — H20 is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. How-ever, water is the most essential element — next to air — to our survival. Water truly is everywhere, but most take it for granted.



Water through the ages

Water has been used since antiquity as a symbol by which to express devotion and purity. Some cultures, like the ancient Greeks, went as far as to worship gods who were thought to live in and command the waters.

Whole cities have been built in consideration of  the location and availability of drinking water. Historically, the gathering place was around wells, which is perhaps why fountains are built in the middle of piazzas.

Traditional and modern medicine have been making use of the psychological and physiological diverse properties of water, in all forms of hydrotherapy. We all know of the simple, yet effective calming qualities of a warm bath or the invigorating qualities of a cold shower.

For centuries, numerous healing springs located all around the world have been recognized for their benefits. The famous Belgium spas in the Ardennes are examples. Historical records of these cold springs claim 'cures' since the fourteenth century. The hot Californian spas, the healing spas of Outrace in Greece, the Dalhousie hot springs in the border of South Australia and Northern Territory, Moree in NSW, Hepburn mineral spas in Victoria are a few examples.

In ancient cultures, water was perceived as a gift from the gods when it rained.

The movement of water between the atmosphere and earth is called the hydrologic cycle. Water, or hydrologic cycle, is a major driving force on our planet.

Water is in constant motion, evaporating into the atmosphere from oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. When the atmosphere can no longer support the moisture within the clouds, we experience rain, snow, hail or sleet.

Some water is locked in the form of ice at the polar caps and in glaciers. Water melts in the spring, producing a runoff that percolates through the Earth as groundwater (subsurface) or it makes its way back to the sea (surface).

The oceans contain most of the water, but it is salt water which is unusable by most organisms. Most living organisms can only utilize pure water.



Water and the body

With two-thirds of the earth’s surface covered by water and the human body consisting of 75 percent water, it is evidently clear that water is one of the prime elements responsible for life on earth. Water circulates through the land just as it does through the human body, transporting, dissolving and replenishing nutrients and organic matter, while carrying away waste material.

Further, in the body, it regulates the activities of fluids, tissues, cells, lymph, blood and glandular secretions.

Without sufficient water, we would die within a few days. Here’s a breakdown of the human body: the brain is made up of 95 percent water; blood is 82 percent water; and lungs are 90 percent water.

A mere 2 percent 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.

Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated 75 percent of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. That is a pretty scary statistic for a developed country where water is readily available through a tap or bottle.

Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions made up in our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning.

• Water serves as a lubricant.

• Water forms the base for saliva.

• Water forms the fluids that surround the joints.

• Water regulates the body temperature, as the cooling and heating is distributed through perspiration.

• Water helps to alleviate constipation by moving food through the intestinal tract and thereby eliminating waste.

• Water regulates metabolism.

In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, bladder cancer by 50 percent and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. And those are just a few examples.

Water can even help you lose weight by helping you feel full and eat less.

With all the many benefits to drinking water, why drink anything else? Water doesn’t just come from a glass though. Many foods are rich in water, including salads, soups, vegetables and fruits like melons, apples and oranges. 

Drinking water doesn’t have to be a burden or a diet regime; it can be a healthful exercise that keeps your body in first-rate condition.  Are you thirsty yet?

Steve Mullenix (R.Ph) co-owns The Pharmacy in Mount Olive with his wife, Sherry Mullenix (J.D., R.N.). They can be reached at 631-1201.