Possibly the most important (and forgotten) nutrient, ranging  from the youngest child to the oldest adult, is an adequate supply of fresh (preferably filtered) drinking water,school children are known to suffer badly from the effects of dehydration with lack of concentration and energy during school time, showing up particularly in the afternoon, drinking colas and other sugary drinks does not help at all, and in most situations makes matters worse when the quick release sugars are rapidly used up and the inevitable slump quickly follows.

Fresh filtered water drunk during the day is known to increase concentration and learning abilities, all schools should encourage children totake water into the class room, (preferably in sports bottles) to help keep them refreshed and alert. Teachers that take water into class not only benefit from staying alert and refreshed during lessons, but also set an example to children and encourage them to also take filtered water into class.

The human body is made up of 60% water and requires constant topping up for health and life itself.nd alert

Muscles are 75% water and a loss of only 3% causes a 10% drop in strength and an 8% drop in stamina.

Just think what its like on  a hot sunny day when you become dehydrated, all of your energy just seems to drain from your body, at this stage you are well and truly dehydrated and are desperate for a drink, in fact at the first signs of thirst you will be in the earlier stages of dehydration, this is the bodies warning system that all is not well, to stay hydrated you should drink water or fruit teas etc at regular intervals, thirsty or not.

During hard work or exercise thirst sensors are inhibited so it is easy when working in the gym for example to become dehydrated, this leads to an increase in body temperature and energy is diverted away from muscles to cool the body.  It is very important to hydrate the body  before doing strenuous exercise by drinking filtered water before starting your workout and continue during exercise, the same applies to any physical or strenuous work or even working in an office or on a pc.

Eating plenty of carbohydrate helps to store water because each unit of carbohydrate, stored as glycogen is released for energy to muscles so to is the water.

Glycogen is a short- term energy store held in muscles and the liver and is called on during extended physical exercise.

Tap water can contain significant levels of nitrates, Trihalomethanes , lead and Aluminium (anti nutrients) draining other healthy nutrients from the body.There are also high levels of Chlorine in drinking water that should not be drunk for health reasons and should be filtered from the water before being drunk.

The body loses 1.5 litres of water a day through the skin, lungs and gut and via the kidneys as urine in an attempt to eliminate toxins from the body.  Cut down on water and toxins build up ?drink enough water and toxins are expelled.

The minimum intake of water should be 2 litres of water (8 glasses) a day and of course more at times, i.e  exercise etc in the form of fruit teas filtered water, diluted fruit juices, not cola's, beers, wines,  tea and coffee etc these just do not count.

Water is vital to keep the skin hydrated and to prevent it form drying out and becoming wrinkled prematurely, water is natures natural moisturiser.