10 benefits of water and how to easily increase your intake
Our bodies are made up of almost 80% water.
Every organ, cell, and tissue in our bodies uses water to function properly, which is why drinking enough water every day is important.
But many people struggle with drinking enough water each day.
Here are 11 benefits of drinking water and also suggestions to easily increase your daily intake.
Weight Loss
If you’re looking to lose weight, drink more water! Studies show that people who are on diets lose more weight when they also increase their water intake. In one study, people on weight loss diets who drank 16 ounces of water before each of their three daily meals for 12 weeks lost 4.6 more pounds on average than people who did not drink the additional water. Oftentimes we think we are hungry, when in fact we are thirsty. So before you grab for food, grab a glass of water and drink up.
Improves Performance during exercise
We use a lot of water during physical activity. Proper hydration can reduce fatigue, improve endurance, lower your maximum heart rate, and more. Drinking water can also help you to feel less sore after exercise.
Boosts Energy
Most people will grab a caffeinated drink when they are feeling sluggish. However, caffeine can act like a diuretic, therefore contributing to dehydration. Drinking enough water will reduce fatigue and boost energy levels. Normal daily activity can lead to a fluid loss of 1-3%, which will lead to fatigue. Once again, staying hydrated is important as it provides your body with all that it needs to function at optimal levels.
Water delivers oxygen throughout the body
Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health.
Regulates body temperature
Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining your body temperature. We naturally lose water every day and more so when we sweat and in hot temperatures. Although sweat does keep us cool, if we don’t replace the water we lose through sweat, our body temperature will rise. We lose electrolytes when we sweat so we need to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
boosts healthy skin
Adequate water intake will help keep your skin hydrated and may promote collagen production, promoting healthy glowing skin. If the outermost layer of the epidermis doesn't contain enough water, skin will lose elasticity and feel rough.
It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues
Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and lessen the discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.
Aids in digestion
Water helps break down food so that your body can absorb the nutrients. It also softens stool, which helps prevent constipation.
Helps maintain blood pressure
The more water you drink, the more fluids leave the blood vessels, causing your vessels to relax and your blood pressure to reduce. When your blood vessels are relaxed your blood pressure is going to be lower. If you eat too much salt or if you do not drink enough, water can accumulate in your blood vessels, which can contribute to higher blood pressure. Untreated, high blood pressure can cause the blood vessel to burst and this may lead to kidney disease or a stroke.
Flushes out toxins and waste
Our bodies are amazing at naturally flushing out toxins, but they need water to do this. Drinking water ensures your kidneys have enough fluid to do their job properly. If your body does not have sufficient water, then metabolic wastes will not be removed as efficiently as they should. Also, adequate water intake helps to prevent kidney stones.
So how much water do you need each day and how can you ensure that you reach your daily needs?
We always hear that we should drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day. But there are several factors that determine how much water we need, including our size, activity level, overall health and our environment.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends that healthy men drink about 125 ounces of water per day and women drink 91 ounces per day.
Another rule of thumb is to drink a MINIMUM of 0.5 ounces per pound of body weight. (ex. a woman weighing 150 pounds would need 75 ounces of water per day)
If you are physically active, live in a hot climate, high elevation or drink alcohol, these will all increase your water needs.
So, how do you ensure that you are drinking enough water each day?
If you need some extra help consuming enough water, check out these tips for drinking more:
Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. Having water with you at all times will help you to remember to drink and always have it available.
Add lemon or other fresh fruit to water to make it more enjoyable.
Set goals to drink a certain number of ounces by a set time. For example, if your goal is to drink 90 ounces of water for the day, try to drink 30 ounces by noon, another 30 ounces by 4pm and your last 30 ounces by 7pm.
Use an app to set reminders to drink your water.
Avoid caffeinated and sugary drinks and focus on drinking water.
When dining out, choose water or seltzer, rather than high calorie sugary drinks.
Also, 20% of your water consumption for the day will come from foods. Fruits and vegetable have high water content and can add to your hydration, so be sure to eat your fruits and veggies every day.
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