A recent medical camp in Nyamarambe town in Kisii County conducted by Heavens Hands Of Hope revealed an alarming number of high blood pressures in the elderly.
The Community Based Organization (CBO) discovered that 3 in every 5 old people had their blood pressures high.
Upon investigations through questioning, most of the residents revealed that they don’t like drinking water and rarely do so.
“Most of them say their grandparents did not drink water and lived for long so they think it’s okay. Others simply mentioned the tasteless taste of water keeps them off,” said Pauline Omirera the founder of Heavens Hands Of Hope.
In order to demonstrate the importance of drinking water, those with high pressures were offered a glass of water. After several minutes, their pressures were examined again. There was a difference as some blood pressures had stabilized.
Below are five reasons why drinking water is vital to human health.
1. Water makes one happy
According to a study conducted by the University of Connecticut, dehydration affects an individual’s moods. It contributes to stress, fatigue, anger, negative attitude, and cognitive problems. Thus, drinking water puts one in a good mood. Remember, don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink. Thirst occurs when you’re already dehydrated.
2. Aids in Digestion
According to scientists, having a glass of water before and after a meal helps the body break down food more easily. It further ensures that the body gets the most nutrition from the food. Water dilutes waste and helps eliminate toxins from the gastrointestinal tract, hence making the stool pass easily.
3. Help in treating Kidney stones
Kidney Stones are minerals crystals and acid salts that stick together in concentrated urine. They are very painful when passing through the urinary tract. According to a study conducted in India the quality of drinking water matters in kidney stone disease. Water dilutes salts and minerals that might otherwise concentrate in the kidneys and become stones. The kidneys serve important functions in the body like maintaining water levels, regulating blood pressure, and filtering waste.
4. Prevent cancer
Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to flush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society. Other researches say staying hydrated can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50%, and possibly reduce breast cancer risk as well.
5. If you don’t drink water, you will die
It’s that important. Depending on our environment, we can live only a few days without water, at most seven days. We can live much longer without food. For most of us, we should prioritize the consumption of water far more than we currently do. Lack of water in the body system can lead to high blood pressure that can cause a heart attack then death.
