Here are the top ten reasons for keeping your personal water tank on full. Water is one of the body’s most important nutrients as it plays a significant role in your health and well-being.
Water provides the following benefits:
- Detoxification-flushes out toxins.
- Hydration-keeps our cells moving.
- Satiety-helps make our stomachs feel full.
- Mental clarity-keeps our mind sharp.
- Blood pressure management-helps keep blood pressure in normal zone.
- Skin health-keeps skin moist.
- Kidney stone prevention-helps inhibits stones from forming.
- Digestion-helps move food through our body
- Lubrication-keeps our body moving.
- Essential to live!
Water is vital to living. The brain is about 70% water and the adult body is about 60-65% water. You cannot live more than 2 days without it.
Water needs vary depending on environmental temperature-we generally need more when we are hot and sweating. Any physical work such as exercise or hard labor will boost our water needs. Additionally, illnesses that include symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea or fever, will increase our need for water. Don’t forget, we always need to replenish any fluids we lose!
Lower risk of disease with more H2O!
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2002 revealed that women and men that drank more than 5 glasses of water were less likely to die from fatal coronary heart disease events. This study gives us yet another reason to drink up! This is of particular importance, as heart disease is our nation’s number one killer.
Other important benefits of water include potentially lowering risk of colon and bladder cancer. Also, keeping well hydrated lowers risk of kidney stones. Water helps flush out the bladder and may lower risk of bladder infections.
Water and weight management
When we consume soda and juices instead of water, calorie intake increased dramatically. Choosing 8 ounces of juice instead of water, adds an extra 120 calories to your daily diet. This could add an additional 10 -12 lbs of weight over the course of a year, if done on a daily basis. Water should be utilized as the primarily beverage in any weight management plan. It provides excellent hydration without adding one single calorie! Furthermore, filling up with water gives your body the feeling of being full, likely helping with weight management.
General fluid needs range from 8-10 cups per day. Let thirst guide you, if you start to feel thirsty, refresh with a glass of water.
Tips to increase water consumption:
- Bring a water bottle for your ride to and from work.
- Drink water with every meal.
- Instead of taking a mid afternoon coffee break, indulge in decaffeinated tea or coffee, which is more hydrating.
- Indulge in more water-laden fruit and vegetables such as watermelon, grapes, and celery.
- Fill a jug of cold water, add lemon slices and keep cold and ready to go in the refrigerator.
- Try special herbal iced tea as a summer refresher-make with 4 cups boiling water, 1 cup grape juice, 4 decaffeinated tea bags-simmer then store in refrigerator – YUM!
