World Water Day | Pay attention to your health, start with drinking water! Do you know how to drink water healthily?

Water is the source of life, and drinking water is directly related to human health. March 22, 2023 is the 31st "World Water Day", and March 22-28 is the 36th "China Water Week". The United Nations has determined the theme of "World Water Day" in 2023 as "Accelerating Change".

The theme of my country's activities to commemorate "World Water Day" and "China Water Week" in 2023 is "Strengthen water management based on the law and work together to protect the mother river", aiming to encourage everyone to cherish, love and save water.

What kind of water is safe to drink?

The World Health Organization clearly states in the fourth edition of the Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality that safe drinking water is drinking water that can be consumed by a person for a lifetime without significant harm to health, even when the body's sensitivity changes at different stages of life. Safe drinking water is necessary for all daily family life, including drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene.

To ensure the safety of drinking water for users, the "Drinking Water Hygiene Standard" GB5749-2006 currently implemented in my country and GB5749-2022 to be implemented on April 1st both stipulate that drinking water must not contain pathogenic microorganisms, chemical substances and radioactive substances in drinking water must not harm human health, and drinking water must have good sensory properties and be disinfected. On this basis, specific requirements are put forward for drinking water quality related indicators and disinfectant residues.

How to drink water healthily?

Drink water at the right time, don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water

Thirst is a clear sign of dehydration, so avoid drinking water only when you are thirsty, and drink water proactively. When the frequency of urination and urine volume decrease significantly or the color becomes darker than usual, it indicates that the body may be dehydrated and you should pay attention to replenishing water.

Drinking a glass of water in the morning and evening helps replenish the water lost during sleep at night due to breathing, sweating, etc. However, it is not recommended to drink a lot of water before meals to avoid affecting food digestion and absorption.

Drink plenty of water and replenish water as needed

Under mild climatic conditions, the appropriate daily water intake for adult males with low physical activity levels is 3000 ml, of which 1300 ml is water obtained from food, and the appropriate daily water intake is 1700 ml; the appropriate total water intake for women is 2700 ml, of which about 1200 ml is water obtained from food, and the appropriate daily water intake is 1500 ml.

People of different ages and physiological conditions have different water requirements under different environmental conditions. For example, during pregnancy, high temperature, high humidity, and extensive exercise, the water intake needs to be appropriately increased. When there is excessive sweating and other electrolyte loss, electrolytes need to be supplemented at the same time.

Drink water correctly and avoid sugary drinks

It is recommended that adults drink boiled water or light tea, and children should not drink sugary drinks. Tea contains tea polyphenols and other ingredients that are beneficial to health. After soaking in water, they can be dissolved into tea. Drinking in moderation is good for health.

Since sugary drinks are mainly composed of water and added sugar, excessive consumption can increase health risks such as tooth decay, overweight and obesity.