The importance of water to the survival of man cannot be over emphasized. It is one of the strongholds of man’s existence, and this makes it very vital to human survival. Lack or loss of water can cause a lot of harm to the health of man, and this is a big threat to the health and survival of man. Here are a few reasons why water is important to man:

AIDING DIGESTION – water helps to aid the easy movement of food particles down the throat, especially solids. Water also helps in the digestion process to break down food particles that are not properly chewed. It works with other enzymes and fluids in the digestive system to soften up the food particles, making them easily digestible by the digestive system. This prevents indigestion and constipation

BODY HEAT REGULATION – on hot days, usually accompanied by dehydration, the body loses a lot of water through sweat and perspiration, and the body heats up to a temperature not desired by the body system. Water helps to cool the body in situations like this and taking it regularly slows down the dehydration rate.

PREVENTION OF HEADACHES – water has been known to prevent headaches if taken in large quantities. Headaches are usually caused by lack of electrolytes, from fluids. This is channelled back to dehydration, as it can be prevented by taking lots of water.

PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM – the stomach, lungs, intestines, and sinus passages have mucus membranes. These mucus membranes easily dry out when there is lack of water in the body, and this exposes the body to threat by bacteria, pollutants, and viruses, by reducing the body’s resistance to these pathogens. The membranes can only serve as a barrier to these pathogens when fully hydrated. This requires a regular intake of water.

KEEPING A HEALTHY WEIGHT AND SKIN– hydrating the body increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, which helps the body to easily burn fat as fuel. Drinking water before eating reduces your appetite by reducing hunger. This helps a healthy diet. The human skin consists of cells, and these cells consist of water. Lack of water in the body causes dry and flaky skin, and this leads to wrinkling of the skin.

RELIEVING OF FATIGUE – dehydration causes a decrease in concentration and physical co-ordination. This causes mental fatigue by making the brain work extra hard to do basic functions. This consumes a lot of energy, leaving the body mentally and physically fatigued. Also, some levels of dehydration can affect emotional state. This effect is called lethargy. Water doesn’t cure it, but plays an important role when curing it.