Water is an essential component of life, more than 60% of the human body is made up of water and all life that exists on earth is found due to the presence of water.

We must acknowledge the critical role that water plays in our daily survival and understand how to maintain a balance that meets our body's water requirements.

We must ask the question, why our body needs water?

There are many  reasons why our body needs water. These are listed below:

1)Water plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature, during the summer season, when the body becomes too hot, water is lost from the body in the form of sweat and it helps to regulate temperature and keep your body cool.

2) It has been proven that drinking water during or after a meal helps in digestion, as it breaks down the food and helps the body to absorb and make use of the essential nutrients.

3) The human body needs water to maintain the electrolyte balance, that means the amount of water that you drink should be equal to the amount of water lost by the body, otherwise it could lead to dehydration that is too little water or over hydration which means too much water in the body.

Water helps to clear out the toxins and germs that are present in the body and enables the smooth functioning of the kidneys.

Joint pain can be avoided by drinking sufficient water, as it helps to prevent friction of the bones and helps in smooth functioning and movement of the joints while walking.

This brings us to the question, how much water should we drink daily?

It is said that the average person needs to drink about eight glasses of water per day, however it differs from individual to individual and there is no hard and fast rule that can be followed when it comes to drinking water.

The amount of that you drink depends on your lifestyle, if you lead an active lifestyle and are always on the go, then you need to drink more water and stay hydrated as compared to someone who follows a sedentary lifestyle.

The amount of water that you consume, depends upon your environment, if you live in hot and humid conditions and sweat a lot, then your body needs more water to maintain the balance.

Your diet needs to contain foods that meet your daily water needs such as fruits and juices that includes watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, oranges to name a few, that help you stay hydrated especially during the summer season.

It may appear easy in theory, to maintain the daily water needs of your body, unfortunately, there are certain chronic illnesses and health conditions that can lead to complications.

Drinking too much or too little water puts your body at risk and can cause diseases such as:

a) Congestive heart failure occurs due to drinking too much water, which leads, to swelling, weight gain and difficulty breathing.

b) Those who suffer from diabetes have to be careful about how much water they drink, as high glucose levels can lead to a higher risk of dehydration.

People suffering from kidney disease, need to monitor the amount of water that they drink, especially those who are in the final stages of the disease.

Finally, there is no size fits all, when it comes to drinking water, there is a fine line between over hydration and dehydration, only the individual knows what works best and can decide what works for them, in order to live a happy and healthy life.