1.Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids. Your body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.
Through the posterior pituitary gland, your brain communicates with your kidneys and tells it how much water to excrete as urine or hold onto for reserves.
When you're low on fluids, the brain triggers the body's thirst mechanism. And unless you are taking medications that make you thirsty, you should listen to those cues and get yourself a drink of water.
2. Water Can Help Control Calories.
For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages like juice,soft drinks(soda) can certainly help.
What works with weight loss is if you choose water or a non-caloric beverage over a caloric beverage and/or eat a diet higher in water-rich foods that are healthier, more filling, and help you trim calorie intake.
Food with high water content tends to look larger, its higher volume requires more chewing, and it is absorbed more slowly by the body, which helps you feel full. Water-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, oatmeal, and beans.
3. Water Helps Energize Muscles.
Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. When muscle cells don't have adequate fluids, they don't work as well and performance can suffer.
Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. When muscle cells don't have adequate fluids, they don't work as well and performance can suffer.
Drinking enough fluids is important when exercising. Follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for fluid intake before and during physical activity. These guidelines recommend that people drink about 17 ounces of fluid (0.5 liters) about two hours before exercise. During exercise, they recommend that people start drinking fluids early, and drink them at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by sweating.
4. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good.
Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss.
Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss.
Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration.But once you are adequately hydrated, the kidneys take over and excrete excess fluids."
You can also help "lock" moisture into your skin by using moisturizer, which creates a physical barrier to keep moisture in.
5. Water Helps Your Kidneys.
Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine, explains Guest. Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as long as your intake of fluids is adequate.
Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine, explains Guest. Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as long as your intake of fluids is adequate.
When you're getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough fluids, urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions.
If you chronically drink too little, you may be at higher risk for kidney stones, especially in warm climates.
6. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function.
Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation.
Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation.
Adequate fluid and fiber is the perfect combination, because the fluid pumps up the fiber and acts like a broom to keep your bowel functioning properly.
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK A DAY
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 liters) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of total beverages a day.
A common recommendation is to drink six or eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other fluid every day. But some adults may need more or less, depending on how healthy they are, how much they exercise, and how hot and dry the climate is.
Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember.
IF YOU WANT TO DECREASE YOUR SUGARY DRINK INTAKE BUT YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DO SO OR YOUR TASTE BUDS ARE ADDICTED TO SWEET DRINKS: You can try the Sassy Water Recipe ( I personally did this for some months when i was trying to reduce and stop my coca cola/juice addiction and lose some weight)!
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK A DAY
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 liters) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of total beverages a day.
A common recommendation is to drink six or eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other fluid every day. But some adults may need more or less, depending on how healthy they are, how much they exercise, and how hot and dry the climate is.
Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember.
IF YOU WANT TO DECREASE YOUR SUGARY DRINK INTAKE BUT YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DO SO OR YOUR TASTE BUDS ARE ADDICTED TO SWEET DRINKS: You can try the Sassy Water Recipe ( I personally did this for some months when i was trying to reduce and stop my coca cola/juice addiction and lose some weight)!
The Sassy Water Recipe
2 liters water (about 8½ c)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium sized lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium sized lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher or jug and let flavors blend overnight. Drink the entire contents of the pitcher or jug by the end of each day.
You can also try other ingredients using fruits like: oranges,pineapple,grapefruits,apples,strawberries and so on. There many great recipes online!
Another method i use is to fill a 2 liter bottle with water at the beginning of the day and make sure i drink from it till its finished before i go to sleep. Something like this:
Would you try the sassy water recipe? Please send any other recommendations you have or share your challenges or questions!
SOURCE: webmd.com
prevention.com
mayoclinic.org
health.com
No comments :
Post a Comment