Water: essential to good health
Water is not simply a liquid we drink when we are
thirsty. It is a major component of our bodies and plays a role in nearly
every bodily function. Water makes up 80% of our blood, 75% of our brain and
muscles, and from 55-75% of our body weight. Even our bones contain water.
Water carries out very important functions in our body. If we do not drink
enough water, our bodies can respond by extracting more water from the
contents of the colon, making bowel movements more infrequent and difficult.
However, while drinking enough water is important to maintaining a healthy
lifestyle, it has also often been recommended that increasing your fluid
intake will relieve symptoms of constipation but experts have found that
increased fluid intake actually provides no significant relief of
constipation, except in cases of dehydration.1
Reference
1. Müller-Lissner SA, Kamm MA, Scarpignato C, Wald A. Myths and Misconceptions About Chronic Constipation. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2005; www.amjgastro.com