Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink. (Water)

Member Name: JEHodgson

Product:	Water
Date:	23/10/01 (1059 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You need it, It is good for you, You can squirt it at people for fun.

Disadvantages: It isn't as clean as it used to be., Before we spoiled it all that is.

**What do we know? Very little, as usual.**

The aboriginal population of Australia had the right idea. They knew where to find water, and what to do. They would go to a tree, and cut a hole in it, stick a twig in the hole, and drink the water that dripped out of it. Then, they would plug the hole back up again, to preserve the resources. Whereas we aren't quite so civilised. (That was a deliberate choice of the word civilised there, to highlight a sad irony…) We chuck trolleys in rivers, dump waste in the sea, pour sewage into it, waste it, contaminate it with hormones and pesticides…..
Still….. (waters run deep) that wasn't the point of writing this. I just wanted to highlight some important issues about the effects of drinking water. This was inspired by a small part of a course I was on last week, where one of the positive influences mentioned on children's achievement was the value of drinking enough water.

**Warning and disclaimer etc.**

As I write this opinion, I am going to quote lots of sources (no pun intended that time) , but to avoid sounding like an essay, I will mention the main ones here rather than throughout the opinion, unless I have used a larger quote. They are: Times Educational Supplement, June 1 , 2001; WWF (the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, not the wrestlers) ; the Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC) and Encarta .
Please also note that I am aware that different organisations and studies have given different results into this area, so please do not take all figures as being precise and irrevocable truth. They are however fairly reliable sources, so do take notice of their general gist!

**All about us**
** (or, the stuff most of us know, but defined more exactly by nice scientists)**

We are made mainly of water. Just under 70% of our body is water. (Those sci-fi fans who have ever seen an alien zap someone with a dehydration ray and leave a ti
ny pile of minerals will know that!) In fact, 78% of our brain is water, so to ensure vital operation of our brains , and thus our bodies. As a sports coach, I drill into my runners and footballers how important it is to maintain hydration to ensure top performance and good health. From an early age, I make certain that they are well aware of the need to drink water regularly before and after exercise, and, if it is for a longer duration, during the activity too. Many people are becoming more aware of this, but it does not only apply to sports, it applies to general health too.

**An odd comparison and some nasty things**

Many people look at sports performances and say, 'Ooh, it's hot, so they will be dehydrated: that will put them at a disadvantage.'
How often do you hear people say, 'It must have been hard doing that exam on such a hot day: 3 hours without a drink must have affected your performance?'
Not very often, I'll bet. Yet it does make a difference. A small amount of dehydration affects the brain's performance. The Navy, for example, studied this and found it affected "cognitive function and memory." The body uses the supply of water to keep it cool, and once we get dehydrated, we overheat: that includes your brain. There are so many things that we dismiss as minor ailments that we just have to put up with that are caused by dehydration. Studies in schools showed that the number of children complaining of headaches dropped to tiny amounts when they were given better access to drinking water at all times. Cramps in the legs at night? Drink some water before bed, see if it makes a difference. There are worse symptoms as dehydration progresses: here is a list of unpleasant things for you.
"Joint pain, stomach pain, stomach ulcers, back pain, low energy, mental confusion, disorientation, kidney damage, infection of the urinary tract, cardiovascular disease, halitosis…" ( El
aine Williams, TES)
All of these can be caused by dehydration.

**Well, what are you saying?**

So, have a drink when you are thirsty? Sorry. If you are thirsty, it's too late: you are already dehydrated.
Want an indicator of how well hydrated you are? Urine colour: the paler it is, the better off you are. (Also, if it is strong smelling, that is a bad sign too!) Think about it: the colouring is darkened by all the impurities you need to be rid of. If you wanted to wash away something unclean from the pavement, or off your clothes, you would use a load of water to do it. But if it is inside your body, you don't bother- just use a little bit of water. Does putting it that way encourage you? Let's hope so.

**You didn't answer me. What are you saying?**

You need to drink more often. That drink should be water too. Any other drink may taste nicer, but contains impurities that also need to be removed from the body. And I'm sure you don't need me to tell you about tea and other diuretics. (Just in case- they make you go to the loo more, therefore losing more fluid…) Or alcohol. (Alcohol causes dehydration. Big time. It is believed by many that the dehydration caused by too much alcohol is the main cause of the hangover. Hence, drink lots of water to help alleviate it…)

**Got your drift now. Not convinced yet though**

Want some figures? OK, try these: The British Dietetic Association say that you need to drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day. This obviously depends on your size and body mass. (This accounts for 60% of the water you need: you will get the other 40% from food.) You actually lose up to 2.1 litres a day through ,err.. toilet activities of assorted types… and up to 1.2 litres in sweat! Those of you who are mathematically minded (and sad) like me will notice that the in and outs there are equal, so the balance is very fine!

**You say you are sad no
w? You've been having a conversation with **
** your paragraph headings since halfway through this opinion**

There is currently a campaign to increase the amount of water children drink. This is focused through schools in a campaign called "water's cool in schools." Catchy eh? No I didn't think so either, but the cause is worthy. Here are two interesting facts from their website (www.wateriscoolinschools.co.uk).

--The introduction of water bottles on desks in schools as part of an experiment on brain hydration, carried out in Edinburgh, led to an improvement in results in tests over two years.
-- Two thirds of children do not drink enough water.
Interestingly, in a cynical way, the site suggests you get a water cooler, and is partly sponsored by a water cooler company….. spooky eh? Still, (no pun intended again) they seem a very worthy company who do lots of charity work to do with water, and the research is still as relevant no matter who did it.

**So what is your point? Do a summary, as I didn't read it properly.**

My point is this: Drink more water and you will not only be healthier, but you will perform better at work/school/sport etc. That's it really. I think this is very important, particularly the relevance to education, obviously. I will be focusing on this matter at work, getting the children to be more pro-active about drinking the water they need, looking at school policies on drinking water and so on.
One important note though: drinking too much (6 litres in an hour) can cause 'water toxication' which is major league nasty- sickness, confusion and even (in extremis) comas!


**One more thing**

A separate issue: where to drink the water from? Tap or bottles?
Research varies here wildly. Ask the bottled water people, they will tell you one thing. Ask the water board people, they will tell you another. No surprises there…
S
o lets listen to the WWF: in Europe and America, there are more standards for tap water than for bottled water. They also say that bottled water is responsible for the use of one and a half million tons of plastic every year, causing toxic emissions in manufacture and disposal of bottles. They don't seem keen.
Mind you, there are also problems with the presence of hormones, pesticides and other pollutants in general tap water.
It seems that it depends on where you are, which bottled water you buy, and which water you have 'piped in'. Personally, we use a water filter on the tap water we get. It's up to you really what you use, but it gets worrying when you look at the things that are in all the kinds of water!

**That was a long bit- you'll have to do another summary**

Alright then. Just Briefly.

Drink lots more water. Before you get thirsty. You need it. Trust me.

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