In the rush to buy vitamins, supplements, and natural remedies to all of life's ailments, many people overlook the importance of water when considering the best path toward great, long-lasting health. The simple fact of the matter is that water comprises 60 percent of the average person's bodyweight and is a crucial way to regulate body temperature, protect tissues and joints, remove waste, and aid digestion. When all four of these are functioning properly, human beings are in their best shape. This makes water the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle.

Water as a Protector: Maintaining the Integrity of Joints, Tissues, and the Spinal Cord

In order for joints to be healthy, they must be well-lubricated. In order for tissues to be healthy, flexible, and able to adapt to life's everyday movements, they must be moist. In order for the spinal cord to be protected, it must be well-hydrated. Water does all of these things in the human body, especially when it comes to tissues. Anyone who has ever suffered from a dry, stuffy nose, or cracked and chapped lips, knows how discomforting it can be for these sensitive areas to become dry. When this happens to tissues, the body can be tense, fatigued, and uncomfortable.

Water is a Key Way to Aid Regular Digestion

When digestion becomes inconsistent, many people look to their diet and blame certain solid foods for their discomfort. Those foods might certainly be a cause, based on their own chemistry, but water is often an important part of the mix when it comes to healthy and regular digestion in adult humans. To hammer this point home, people need only understand where the digestion process begins: saliva.

It all starts with the water-infused saliva contained in a person's mouth; beyond that, substances move through the kidneys and intestines, which possess their own digestive enzymes that break down food and usher waste through (and out of) the body. When water is running low, saliva, the kidneys, and the intestines, all suffer. They perform their job much more slowly and far more inefficiently. That leads to slower digestion, less regular bowel movements, and and can even lead to kidney infections due to chronic dehydration. Additionally, water is the key to digesting soluble fiber, which is, in turn, a key way to keep the digestive process moving at a healthy rate.

Water Flushes Waste Out of the Body

Most people associate urination or defecation with the digestive process, but that's actually an oversimplification. Both urination and defecation, along with perspiration, are key ways for the body to remove waste. It should be noted that waste itself is often separate from the by-products of consuming food and other beverages. Waste can include bodily fluids, excess vitamins or proteins, and other chemicals, that simply must be removed in order for an individual to remain healthy.

When water levels are low in the body, this process gets put on hold. The body performs less waste removal overall, and that can lead to feelings of fatigue and more frequent incidences of illness. A sick body is one that is never quite able to get into great shape, even through regular exercise, and it can lead to major immune system and joint problems if water levels are chronically low.

Temperature Regulation Requires a Good Amount of Water

Most health experts recommend 64 ounces of water per day to avoid dehydration and aid bodily functions. This same daily requirement of water helps regulate body temperature on hot days, during intense workouts, or in any other heat-intensive scenarios. That's because healthy amounts of water allow people to sweat more effectively and consistently; a healthy amount of water on a daily basis will also lead to more efficient breathing and a lesser risk of dehydration when the body enacts its natural cooling processes to keep body temperature low.

A Key Component for a Healthy Human Life

With more than half of the body being comprised of water in some form, it's no surprise that this essential substance is the key to a healthy life, a long-lasting body, and maximum enjoyment of exercise and high temperatures. This essential substance can lead to more comfortable joints, less aches and fatigue in bodily tissues, and even a healthier brain and spinal cord. It gives a much-needed boost to saliva, kidneys, and intestines, promoting great digestion and waste removal, as well. For effective digestion, healthy removal of waste, and thorough regulation of body temperature, there is no better health supplement than water.