Water is important to your body as it makes up about 60% of your body's weight. Every system in your body needs water for proper function. If your body does not have enough water, you can become dehydrated and experience low energy levels. Aside from preventing dehydration, the following are some of the reasons why you should drink enough water:
Promote weight loss
Drinking enough water helps you lose weight by regulating your appetite, increasing your metabolism, helping digestion, and by stopping food cravings. Drinking water before eating a meal creates a feeling of fullness which prevents you from overeating. Moreover, it is said that the feeling of thirst may often be misinterpreted as hunger, so that drinking water usually makes hunger pangs disappear.
Boost energy levels
Lack of adequate water in your body can lead to dehydration. When your body is dehydrated, you may start to feel sluggish and your energy levels may also drop. This is why athletes who sweat a lot because of strenuous physical activities drink litres of water to keep them going.
Regulate body temperature
Water is your body's natural coolant. When your body's temperature rises, it produces sweat to lower its temperature. Without water, your body may not be able to produce sweat to keep your body's temperature at normal levels.
Improve skin quality
Water helps your body digest food properly and promotes elimination of waste and toxins from the bowels. Regular elimination prevents the accumulation of toxins in your gut causing your skin to appear clear. A well hydrated body also shows on your skin as it can glow and be free of wrinkles and dryness.
Fight infections
Water helps flush out bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms found in your body to help you fight infections like the common cold, flu and urinary tract infections.
Decrease water retention
Women may suffer from water retention as a result of increased sodium intake and insufficient water consumption. While it may seem ironic to cure water retention by drinking more water, health professionals recommend drinking more water to help flush out excessive sodium that causes water retention.
Eliminate toxins and prevent kidney stones
Your kidney may contain toxins coming from the food you eat, the fluids you drink and the air you breathe. It may also have calcified deposits that may gradually turn into bigger stones that can obstruct your urinary system. Water helps your body eliminate toxins and other mineral deposits in your kidney to prevent them from harming your body.
Other reasons why you should drink water are to alleviate some headaches and joint pains, regulate blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol and prevent certain cancers. It is important to drink enough water everyday by making sure that you replace lost fluids from perspiration, urination, bowel movement, and even from crying. The usual recommendation is to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses (8-oz) of water everyday. You should increase your water intake if you are an athlete or exercise regularly. Ideally, purified water is best but you may also satisfy your daily requirement by drinking fluids with water content such as natural fruit juices.
Originally published on Sep 22, 2009
