It is drummed into you as a child, and ever since there has always been this constant thought in the back of your mind: am I drinking enough water? Even though eight glasses a day has been discounted as a suitable daily aim (volume of water needed per day has so many variables attached to it such as temperature, activity levels etc.), it is practically a given fact that drinking water is good for you. But, just how good is drinking water, and why are the fizzy drinks that accompany the water on your local supermarket shelf doing your physical health no favours? In addition to the fact they are full of sugar, what else are you gaining or missing out on by choosing a Dr Pepper rather than a watermelon flavored water?
Aids Bodily Functions And Weight Loss
Your body is made up of 60% water, and it can be surprising how easily, through sweat and using the restroom, it can leave your body. Making sure your bodily fluids are regulated can actually work wonders for your digestive system, as adequate hydration is important for bowel function as well as for your kidneys. Being even 1% dehydrated can negatively impact your thinking processes. At 2% you will begin to feel quite thirsty, at 5% dehydration you can begin to feel dizzy and light-headed, and at 10% medical intervention would be necessary, anything over 15% dehydration can be life-threatening. So, as you can see, it’s important to keep yourself hydrated to make sure that your body is able to function correctly – especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Help The Appearance Of Your Skin
Your skin actually contains quite a lot of water, and you may have read plenty of beauty blogs and magazines telling you that if you want clearer skin, you need to drink more water. Though this will not clear up skin problems such as acne, or eliminate wrinkles entirely, it does combat the effects that dehydration can have on the skin. If you have kept your water intake up, fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness become a lot less noticeable.
Immune System
As well as flushing out toxins and any unwanted nasties, water also helps to insure your cells receive the oxygen they need. This is the action that helps all of your bodily functions to work at an optimum level, sparking a healthy chain reaction, and allowing the immune system to function at it best too. If you become dehydrated, then your blood can actually become slightly thicker in consistency, impeding the function of your kidneys and other organs. As your kidneys are responsible for filtrating all the waste materials out of your blood and expelling them via your bladder, it makes sense to keep this particular organ in good working condition.
Hopefully, this has reinforced the need to drink an adequate amount of water and has also motivated you to try and up your intake this week. You will feel a lot better for doing so, and you may never leave home without a bottle of water again.
