Water is one of the best things you can do for your health, providing essential hydration without empty calories, sugar, caffeine or alcohol intake.
Water is the best way to meet your daily fluid intake goals and is often best enhanced with fruit or veggies for additional flavor and nutrients! Try adding fruits or veggies for added flavor or nutrition!
It Keeps You Hydrated
Being composed of roughly two-thirds water, your organs require adequate fluids in order to function optimally. Being dehydrated can cause confusion and anger as well as fatigue and weakness, so drinking the recommended daily amount is an effective way to combat dehydration; approximately 15.5 cups daily for women and men respectively. Additional fluid-rich foods like coffee, tea, milk, fruit juices may help – just remember to consume these in moderation!
Water can help to hydrate all of the tissues in your body, from eyes, ears, noses and mouths to joints lubricated by its moisture. Water also plays an integral part in mental acuity and concentration; in fact, when feeling fatigued during the day it could very well be due to dehydration rather than lack of sleep!
Water can assist your kidneys in operating more effectively by diluting minerals and salts that accumulate in them, decreasing your risk of kidney stones. Furthermore, drinking plenty of water flushes away waste products and other toxins from your body – keeping your system operating smoothly!
Water is essential in stimulating blood flow and oxygen to the body, aiding nutrients and hormones to float more freely throughout your system, giving you more energy, boosting alertness and awakening you more quickly. Furthermore, drinking water may even help relieve depression and anxiety as it balances out blood pressure and heart rate while alleviating nausea or aiding in digestion.
It Helps You Lose Weight
If you drink water properly, it can help you shed excess weight by curbing appetite and raising metabolism – meaning more calories burned by your body! Furthermore, water helps you curb cravings for sugary foods and beverages which may add unnecessary calories. Furthermore, water helps lower overall liquid calorie consumption including high-calorie beverages like juices, sodas, iced coffee/tea mixes, energy drinks, alcohol drinks etc.
Drinking water before meals can help you feel full more quickly and may help decrease the number of calories eaten at that meal. When drinking water, your stomach expands as specific neurons send signals back to the brain that make you feel satisfied. In addition, drinking water before eating gives your brain a sense of volume so you don’t overdo it with food consumption.
Water can help reduce the frequency of bloating caused by dehydration. Staying hydrated allows your kidneys to filter waste and toxins while helping your body retain essential nutrients and electrolytes.
Increased water intake is a simple yet powerful way to enhance health and wellness. If you find it challenging to meet your daily water goal, setting reminders or using a tracker app could help. Furthermore, including water-rich foods in meals to increase overall fluid consumption such as flavoring plain water with lemon or lime juice adds variety as does enjoying broth-based soups, herbal teas or other low calorie options like broth-based soups – making sure that more people do what you ask them too can increase success rates of sticking with their goals and reaping rewards!
It Keeps Your Bones and Joints Healthy
Nourishing yourself with water not only quenches thirst, but it has many other healthful advantages too. Water helps lubricate joints and cartilage, help your muscles work more effectively and reduce swelling; plus flush out waste products from your system. Therefore it should be your go-to beverage; carry a refillable bottle wherever you go to keep yourself hydrated! You can also get fluids through fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, low-fat milk or tea.
Your bones need both calcium and water in order to remain strong and healthy, with synovial fluid being produced by your joints as a lubricating gel-like fluid made primarily from water. Without adequate amounts of hydration, cartilage between bones can dry up and stiffen resulting in joint pain. Hydration is especially essential if engaging in vigorous physical exercise; studies have revealed that drinking water before exercise reduced muscle fatigue significantly and improved performance.
Dehydration causes your cells to shrink and stop functioning properly; this is particularly true of muscle cells which rely on electrolytes and water for proper function – without these, muscle cramps could occur during workouts, slowing recovery times. Drinking enough water keeps muscles hydrated so they can contract properly while improving recovery times after working out.
Before and after exercise, it’s also essential to replenish hydration levels with water to avoid dehydration and orthopedic problems such as osteoporosis. Staying hydrated is key for overall bone health; our Bone Health Specialist can assess risk factors to develop an individualized treatment plan to lower your risks.
It Keeps Your Brain Healthy
Every movement we make – be it voluntary (like walking) or involuntary ( like breathing and your heart beating) – begins in our brains, which require energy from water for optimal functioning. If we’re dehydrated, sending and receiving signals takes longer, leading to foggy minds.
Dehydration symptoms include dry mouth and skin, less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, dizziness, headache, nausea, confusion, rapid heartbeat and fainting. Severe dehydration is life-threatening so it is crucial to drink enough water every day.
Studies have demonstrated that when individuals become dehydrated, their brain function becomes impaired. According to one research project, mildly dehydrated participants performed worse on cognitive tasks compared to those drinking enough water. Another research project discovered that those who consumed inadequate amounts of water were more likely to be diagnosed with depression or psychological disorders.
Dehydration is easily avoidable by drinking plenty of water every morning, beginning with breakfast or right after brushing your teeth. Making drinking plain water more interesting, add some drops of lemon, lime, or orange juice or infuse with herbs or fruit; alternatively try opting for sports beverages to give your body all of its necessary vitamins while providing essential hydration – consider keeping one handy like on your bedside table or near your coffee maker so you’re more likely to grab it before leaving home!
It Helps Your Heart
Your natural thirst mechanism works to keep you properly hydrated. When your fluid levels drop too low, your brain sends signals to your kidneys and bladder to excrete or store water as reserves, according to Mayo Clinic Health System. Blood, joints and tissues need water for lubrication purposes as well as temperature regulation – maintaining oxygen flow into your blood.
Dehydration decreases blood flow through your body, making it harder for the heart to pump effectively and putting undue strain on its mechanisms – this could potentially cause high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat or even an attack!
At times of physical exertion, hot temperatures or illness, it’s essential that you consume an increased volume of water to remain properly hydrated. If you have any medical conditions such as heart disease or pregnancy, consult with your healthcare provider about how much fluid should be consumed each day.
Studies have demonstrated the power of drinking sufficient amounts of water to slow changes within the heart that lead to heart failure. A 2022 European Heart Journal study tracked nearly 12,000 middle-aged adults over 25 years and found those who consumed more water had lower sodium levels in their blood, an indicator of future heart problems.