Precious Water

Water is necessary for life, because it replaces the fluids which we secrete when we urinate, defecate, or excrete through our sweat or breath. Therefore we need, in normal human and weather conditions, about 1.0 to 1.5 liters daily. We can drink this as water directly, or as tea, coffee, or other drinks. Water can also be partly replaced with juicy vegetables or fruits.

If we can't replace lost fluids on time, we become thirsty and uncomfortable, and later we lose our appetites and become sleepy and lazy. In the end, we become sick and dizzy, and finally fall into delirium and die. Without water we can live at best a week, though without food we can live 3 to 4 week, if we have water.

When we don't have enough water, we must use it as carefully as possible. That means:

1. don't use water for non-necessary things, such as washing and cleaning, or use it as little as possible
2. eat as much as possible raw or baked food; if you cook food, don't throw water away
3. drink water in small portions, drinking slowly taking a sip only after a certain amount of time; also keep water in your mouth as long as possible
4. minimize your body's requirements for water and minimize loss of water through secretion such as sweating

Many times when we want to drink it is not necessary as we are not really thirsty. Many times we only think we are thirsty, as our mouth are dry. In these cases it is sufficient if we only wash out our mouths.

As already mentioned, thirst is a result of loss of water through secreting a number of fluids. We can minimize secretion, and this also minimizes our body's need of water. If your water supplies are low, then:

1. avoid sun during the day and be in shadow as much as possible
2. if you must work and move about and be active, then do this during the night or during the cooler hours of the day, and rest when it is hot
3. avoid overly sweet foods or foods that are too spicy, and eat plenty of carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables
4. avoid getting your mouth dry by breathing through nose, speaking only when necessary and avoiding smoking if we are smokers

If our mouths get dry anyway we should chew some juicy vegetable or, if this is not possible, mouth some object like a button so that we salivate.

Based on the Slovenian book, Living in Nature. For information contact Kiko.