You’ve no doubt heard that drinking eight glasses or more of water per day is great for #health, but is it really all that important? Here I’ll take a look at some of the health benefits of drinking water and maintaining good hydration.
Relieves fatigue
Our brain needs water in order to function properly. Keeping your body hydrated will therefore improve your focus and concentration. You’ll be much more alert and you’ll even find your energy levels are boosted!
Control calorie intake
There’s no point in lying – water isn’t a magical substance that’s going to make you lose weight but it will help to manage your calorie intake. By drinking water instead of high calorie beverages, you can greatly reduce your intake and therefore contribute to weight loss.
As well as drinking plenty of water, you may want to think about eating foods with a high water content such as fruit, vegetables, beans and broth-based soups. Their high water volume means the body absorbs them slower, helping you to feel fuller for longer!
Keep skin looking healthy
Dehydration can cause the skin to feel dry and you may even be at more risk of developing wrinkles. So if you want to maintain a youthful appearance, drinking plenty of water is important.
Increased fluids can make the skin look plumper and more radiant. Whilst water won’t get rid of wrinkles, it will certainly help to improve your skin’s look and texture.
Improved kidney function
Water can help to flush out toxins in the body, such as blood urea nitrogen, which is a water-soluble waste that passes through the kidneys and is excreted in urine.
With proper hydration the kidneys are able to do their jobs. You can tell if you are drinking enough water, as your urine will be light in colour and free of any odours. If you’re not drinking enough water, it’s likely to be much darker. Drinking plenty of water can help to prevent painful kidney stones, so it’s well worth the little effort it takes!
Solve digestion problems
If you are experiencing a few digestion problems, it could be as simple as not drinking enough water. Hydrating the body can significantly improve your ability to break down food. Drink plenty of water and it should reduce any minor discomfort and digestion problems you are experiencing.
Stop the bloating
Do you often feel bloated? It could be your choice of beverage that’s causing you to look a little bigger than you actually are. Choose water instead of fizzy drinks and artificial beverages and you should find that bloating sensations decrease dramatically.
Prevent headaches
Many people experience pesky and painful headaches as a result of not drinking enough water. The more water you drink, the less likely you are to get a headache as a result of dehydration.
If you’ve forgotten to drink enough water and have got a headache, try drinking a few glasses and within a short time period, your headache should have disappeared completely.
It helps to fight off cancer
Studies have found that the greater the fluid intake, the less chance a person is of getting bladder cancer, especially if a high percentage of their fluid intake is water. This could be due to the fact that urinating more frequently prevents a build-up of bladder carcinogens.
Some studies have also found that drinking plenty of water can reduce the risk of colon and breast cancers too.
Conclusion
Those with access to clean, fresh water really should drink it! Good hydration will not only improve your skin but your body as a whole, helping you to live a happier and healthier life. Dislike drinking water? spice it up with some blueberries or cucumber!
Image credits: Joost Nelissen and mislav-m
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