Water: Why we need it, the best way to carry it and how to filter it!

Whether you’ve been sweating it up in the gym, trekking through the Sahara or baking in the Mediterranean sun, every active girl knows that we all need water!

But often during daily life, when we are not desperately thirsty, we can forget that 6-8 glasses of water a day is still so important.

Water can assist with weight loss, reduce head-aches and dizziness, aid detox and prevent fatigue.

However, many of us don’t get enough of it, and when we do, we don’t think about where it has come from or where it’s been. Water often has a long journey before it reaches us, and can get contaminated by chemicals and toxins en route.

Read our guide to get the low-down on the best source of water – where to find it, how to store it and how much you should be getting!

The low-down!

Every human needs water. Our bodies are made up of 55-75% water, and every day we expel roughly ten cups through breathing and perspiration.

When we become dehydrated our blood becomes thicker, so our bodies have to work harder to pump blood around and our brains become less active, making it tiring and difficult to concentrate.

If that’s not a good enough reason to drink more water, studies have shown that women who drink more than five glasses of water every day are 41% less likely to die from heart attacks then those who drink less than two glasses a day.

Water is also a natural appetite suppressant, so next time you reach for the cookie jar, ask yourself if you are really hungry, or just thirsty.

Drink your fill!

Ever heard the old the ‘6-8 glasses a day’ rule? Well, it’s still a pretty good one! Experts recommend drinking half-a-glass of water for every hour you are awake. Putting it this way doesn’t seem like much at all!

People often claim drinking this much water means they need to go to the bathroom all day, which must mean they’re drinking too much, right? Wrong! Water helps flush out toxins from your liver and kidneys, so all these trips are cleansing your system and speeding up digestion of nasties.

Drink safely

Keeping to the half-a-glass every hour may seem difficult. Make it easier by keeping water on hand. But, don’t make the mistake of recycling your old Evian bottle. Re-using bottles can cause the plastic to break down and release cancer-causing carcinogens into the water going into your body!

For the ultimate in tough, chemical-resistant water bottles, invest in a Swiss-made Sigg bottle. These ultra-cute aluminum bottles have a flavor-neutral patented inside coating that will never leach chemicals or break down while the outside is unbreakable with a hefty un-peelable design. You can even customize your own Sigg bottle (mysigg.com), so swigging from someone else’s Sigg will never happen!

Sigg bottles have been put to the test by the extreme-sports nuts at BackPacker magazine, who understand your need to haul water bottles over mountains and snow fields, so they blasted a range of bottles with a 100-pound cannon full of golf balls. The Sigg was the only one to survive, and at 10-20% lighter than other plastic bottles, it’s a great buy!

ExplorerGirl (Courts77) with her Sigg Water Bottle, Fox Glacier, NZ

Heavenly hydration filtered!

Now you know how to keep your water pure, it’s time to start thinking about how it comes out of the tap! All sorts of chemicals are added to our tap water to keep it clean and drinkable, and after it has traveled through rusty old pipes it is not always the cleanest water-source!

But if access to mountain springs isn’t realistic for you, no need to fret, there are plenty of people who have thought up nifty ways to keep your aqua awesome!

Water-filtration systems come in a range of forms and cater for different budgets, tastes and homes.

• Carbon Water Filters are made from coconut husks and are inserted into your home’s pipes. These need to be replaced every 6-9 months and cost between a few dollars and a few hundred dollars. www.waterfirst.com.au

• Water Distillers www.waterdistiller.com work by heating water, thereby separating it from contaminants. Water Distillers cost between $99 and $499.

• Ceramic Water Filters work by trapping chemicals as they pass through the ceramic pores. They can be purchased as bench-top, stand-alone features. doultonusa.com

• Reverse Osmosis Filters are fitted under your sink and act like a triple-filter, eradicating almost 99% of germs and other contaminants. They cost under $200.

Choose a water filter that suits your budget, life-style and environmental concerns.

Some other points…

• Water tastes better chilled than at room-temperature (studies support chilled water is actually good at aiding dehydration). So keep it in the fridge if you want.

• We are naturally thirsty when we wake up, so take advantage and down a glass of water first thing!

• If you can’t stand plain water, squeeze a dash of citrus or crush some mint leaves into your iced water for a healthy, refreshing twist.

• Eat watery foods! Fruits such as orange, grapefruit, watermelon, grape and tomato are chock-full of water, as are carrot, tuna, yoghurt, cottage cheese, soups, rice and pasta.

• Tea, coffee, soft-drinks and soda water should not be substitutes for water. Tea and coffee are diuretics, meaning they leach water from your body, and soda water can be full of sodium. Always go for plain, still, filtered water when you can.

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Gemma Considine