Drinking

From ArticleWorld

Drinking is the physical action of ingesting liquids into the body via the mouth. The word might also refer to a person with an alcohol addiction - for instance - the person has a “drinking” problem.

Function

The human body is composed of approximately 72% water and must maintain approximately that level for normal physiological functions. The action of drinking is the most common form of re-hydrating the body.

The average amount of liquid that should be drunk to maintain normal physiologic functions is 1 - 2 liters of liquid per day, depending upon climatic conditions. However, some foods such as fruit can also assist in re-hydrating the body.

Dehydration is the body’s normal response to not drinking enough liquids. This can cause any of the following symptoms such as extreme thirst, headache, and a dry, scratchy feeling at the back of the throat.

Related problems

Some people suffer from drinking too many liquids. This can be caused by medical conditions such as Diabetes or sometimes by athletes drinking too much during training.

On the other hand, many countries throughout the world suffer from unsanitary drinking supplies that may be polluted, or bacteria or disease ridden. Dysentery and other medical complications resulting from these water supplies can cause dehydration and loss of body fluids.

Both over-drinking and dehydration can disrupt physiological functions by throwing off the normal levels of salts, electolytes and urea.

Drinking containers

The use of specialized containers for drinking dates back to early man. Civilizations throughout the world use containers for consuming liquids and the material used to make them is governed only by the culture and availability of suitable materials. The containers might be made from glass, plant materials such as gourds or leaves, wood, or metal.