Quick question: How much of the adult body is made up of water? Do you know? It’s actually up to 60 percent of our body weight! For some organisms that number goes up to 90%! That means water is indeed essential to your life. These hydration facts can help young soccer players stay healthy and fit for training and play on the pitch.
#1 Water is necessary.
According to the government’s “water science school” (yep, that exists), “Generally, an adult male needs about 3 liters (3.2 quarts) per day while an adult female needs about 2.2 liters (2.3 quarts) per day.”
#2 Many body parts contain water.
In fact, “the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%.”
#3 Even our bones are watery!
Our bones are composed of 31% water!
#4 Water keeps us going.
Water is a vital nutrient:
- Regulating our internal body temperature by sweating and respiration
- Transporting the carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food
- Helping the brain manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters
- Flushing waste
- Acting as a shock absorber
- Lubricating joints
- Forming saliva
#5 Kids have more water than adults.
Per Water Science School again: “Babies have the most, being born at about 78%. By one year of age, that amount drops to about 65%.”
#6 Most people are dehydrated.
“Even though people are aware of the health benefits of water, many fall short of the eight glasses a day,” according to Water Logic.
#7 We are always losing water.
Our balance of water reserves is depleted on an ongoing basis by several body functions. In addition to urination, which helps flush out waste, we lose water when we:
- Breathe — moisture is added to the air as is passes to our lungs, but we lose that humidified air when we exhale
- Sweat — water evaporates from the skin daily, but the effect Is more dramatic during strenuous exercise or when our body temperatures rise
- Digestion — not a lot is lost through this process, yet there is some depletion in the digestive track
#8 Boys generally require more water.
It’s recommended that children between the ages of 4 to 13 drink between 1 liter to 1.7 liters of water per day depending on their age and gender. That’s approximately four to six cups of water a day. Boys will need more as they tend to have higher fat levels.
#9 There are better times to take in water.
Maximize the water's effectiveness on your body by being sure to drink up:
- After waking up to activate your internal body organs
- Thirty minutes before eating to help in digestion
- About an hour after eating to give the body time to absorb the food's nutrients
- Before going to bed to account for any fluid loss as you sleep.
#10 You can eat your water too.
Fruits and vegetables that have high water content include celery, watermelon, zucchini, cucumber, grapefruits, strawberries, and lettuce.
#11 Yes, you can overdo it.
Individuals with certain health conditions can risk drinking too much water. This includes people with complications such as high blood pressure and/or swelling of the lower legs (i.e. edema).
Keeping your body in balance with all its essential nutrients will help you perform better on the pitch, but also in life. Dehydration also negatively impacts your mental skills too! Drink water, stay healthy.
We look forward to hearing what you’re up to at our next team water break!
Source: https://qcmutiny.com/new-blog