Also Known as
Pani
Description
Is there life without water? Water is needed in every aspect of our life, right from sustenance to hygiene. We need water to drink, to wash our hands, to cook, to water plants… the list is endless!
How to Select
• Keep in mind that you must consider your family members' needs and habits before deciding the actual amount of water to store.
• You must also decide whether to use your home’s water source (tap or ground water) or buy cans of water for cooking and drinking.
• Depending on the quality of the water you get and the health conditions of your family members, you need to consider whether you need to simply boil the water, install a water filter or an advance RO water purifier.
Culinary Uses
• First of all, water is needed to clean fruits, vegetables, cereals and pulses before cooking.
• Water is a very essential medium for cooking foods using methods like steaming, boiling and baking as well.
• Water is the base for all kinds of hot and cold beverages - tea, coffee, sherbets etc.
How to Store
• Water storage is important, since clean, fresh water is essential to human and other land-based life.
• Always look out for any kind of impurities.
• Keep it in a good container. Wash the container regularly and also change the water on a regular basis.
• Boiling is a good way to purify water. Bring the water to a rolling boil for 1 to 3 minutes. After the water has cooled, fill it in the clean containers.
Health Benefits
• You are naturally thirsty, even mildly dehydrated in the morning. So, take advantage of this thirst to get a "leg up" on your daily water requirements by drinking a glass of water first. This also helps flush out the toxins your body has been processing all night.
• Don't wait until you're thirsty to have a drink. You are already dehydrated if you feel thirsty. Set a timer to remind yourself to establish a habit of drinking water and keep a bottle of water with you at all times.
• Compensate for diuretics, the thieves that steal water from your body. If you drink coffee, tea, or sodas with caffeine, you'll need to drink a few extra glasses of water to make up for the water that these diuretic beverages "leech" from your system.
• Water is necessary for your body to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients.
• Fibre alone aid digestion, without water! In fact, without water as its partner, good fibre goes bad, causing constipation and extreme discomfort.
• Water also detoxifies the liver and kidneys, and carries away waste from the body.
• If you're dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker, and your body has to work much harder to cause it to circulate. As a result, the brain becomes less active, it's hard to concentrate and you feel tired.
• A steady dose of eight glasses of water per day will improve your energy levels, improve mental and physical performance, remove toxins from your body, keep your skin shiny and healthy, reduce headaches and dizziness, ensure proper digestion, and keep you more alkaline.
• Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
• Water is especially important for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
• For athletes and work-out fanatics, drinking water reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. And, since water reduces body temperature, it makes the whole exercise process safer and more effective.
• Water is a must for people with a history of kidney stones. Since water dissolves calcium in the urine, and reduces the risk of stone formation.
• Drinking water is also valuable in preventing urinary tract infections in both men and for women, flushing impurities out of the system.
• Even sores that appear on the lips are minimised by drinking water, which keeps you hydrated and supple.