Did you know that 70% of the human brain is water!? Growing up we always get told to drink more water, but did we really understand why? Water provides a medium for chemical reactions, regulates body temperature, and helps remove waste production. Mentally and physically we are dependent on water. Our bodies function optimally with water within the GI tract, kidneys, heart, and other body systems. A person can live up to 50 days without food but only a few days without water. Water needs vary depending on diet, activity, and even environmental factors. Generally speaking it is recommended roughly ½ C per 100 calories burned, which would mean roughly (2-3 liters) 8-12 C a day. Our very last of the 6 classes of nutrients is minerals! Minerals help regulate body functions, aid in growth and maintenance of body tissues, and act as catalysts for release of energy. Three examples of minerals that play a vital role in our day to day lives’ maintaining the body’s fluid balance include sodium, chloride, and potassium. Sodium also is essential to nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. The recommended sodium intake a day for a person is 2300 mg. Chloride is an important ion that plays multiple roles through-out the body along side sodium and potassium. All 3 of these minerals are associated with one another and play an important role in our bodies’.
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