Show Discover the joy and benefits of water during summer heat heat Connie Dillin C College Health Center IN the warm summer months It it is important to drink enough water Water helps reg regulate late body temperature by distributing heat and cooling the body via perspiration We can live for weeks without food but without water we would die in just a few days More than half the weight of the human body is W water ter Water is the basis oasis of all body fluids including dig diges- diges digestive stive s- s tive iv Juices blood juices urine lymph and tion It is essential as a lubricant as saliva mucous secretions throughout the body and the fluids that bathe the tile joints Water is needed to keep food moving through the intestinal intestinal in in- tract and to eliminate wastes waste i it helps which may occur if youre you're eating high-fiber high foods The body loses and needs to replace under average circumstances es two to three quarts of water every day If you are exercising or physical work in the heat doing the loss can be much more W We get some water from the we eat at foods especially fruits and vegetables most most of which are 85 to 96 water Some water produced as a product by-product of metabolism But is six to eight glasses of liquid including juices milk and soups soups are usually needed to make up the balance Alcoholic and beverages have a diuretic is they increase urine production depleting the body of fluid The he best source is generally plain old oId water Some waters have mineral deposits that alter the taste but are not not harmful For this reason many people drink bottled water Others drink bottled water because they think its it's healthier and more pure In fact about 25 of bottled water in the US U.S. is just processed tap water from municipal systems Some bottled waters are high in 10 sodium and most lack the tooth-protecting tooth fluoride added to most tap water In 1991 a government report found that bottled water m may lY con contain ain levels of potentially harmful 1 contaminants that are not allowed in public drinking water If you have questions about drinking water sa safety et a good place to start is the EPA's Sa Safe e i Drinking Hotline 1 1800 You can also send for the free booklet Is your Dr Drinking n ng Water Safe from the EPA Office of Drinking Wa Water ter WH WI M Street S. S SW S.W. W. W Washington I D. D DC D.C. I |