Whether you are walking down the street or just having fun outdoor, you will notice that almost everyone has a bottle of water. But this number has increased significantly over the last few years after studies showed that there are many health benefits that come with drinking at least eight glasses (8-ounces) of water a daily.
So what are the main health benefits of drinking water? Well, there are many health benefits associated with drinking an adequate amount of water daily. In this guide, we have listed some of the scientifically proven health benefits:
1. Water Maintains Balance of Body Fluid
One thing that most of the time gets lost to most people is that we are more than 60% water. So all functions and organs of the body rely on the availability of adequate water to function properly. That includes the digestive systems, circulation, transportation of nutrients, and removal of waste amongst others. Failure to drink water will cause an imbalance of the body fluid, and that will impact on various functions of the body. For instance, there will be poor circulation, digestion problems, and kidney problems, and so on.
2. Helps To Manage Weight Issues
While water may not have a direct impact on weight loss, it can help manage unhealthy weight gain. First, substituting higher calories with plain or alkaline water helps to control your calories intake. In addition, drinking water throughout the day makes you feel fuller hence cutting on the number of calories you take every day. It has also been proven that warm water helps to increase the metabolism rate, which results in burning more fats. These are just some of the reasons why water an essential element in any weight loss strategy.
3. It Energizes Muscles
This is one of the biggest health benefits of drinking water for those in intense physical activities. For your muscles to work effectively, they need to get energised. So muscles cells must be supplied with an adequate amount of water to produce the needed energy as well as remove waste from the muscles. So drinking an adequate amount of water is one of the natural ways of energising muscles. You must have a balanced body fluid for the muscles to work effectively. Otherwise, you will start feeling fatigued. So drink enough water when exercising, hiking, and other physical outdoor activities.
4. Water Is Good For Your Skin
When you notice that your skin is turning rough, don’t panic and start looking for the skin products. Start by checking whether you are drinking an adequate amount of water as recommended. Water is very crucial for supple, moist skin. By just drinking an adequate amount of water, the skin tissue will become hydrated. So, it will start secreting oils and other fluids that will keep the skin supple and moist. So before you turn skincare products, which could be harmful to your skin, start with drinking more water. Create a practical water drinking schedule to ensure that you are drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day.
5. Water Is Good For Kidneys
Your kidney does the main excretion work by ridding the body of toxins. However, for the process to happen, you must drink the right amount of water. One of the main toxins in the body is the blood urea nitrogen, which is a water-soluble waste. It is must be passed through the kidney to be excreted. Once these toxins reach the kidney, you need to urinate more often so that they are flushed out faster. So for this toxin to be removed from the body, you must drink an adequate amount of water to boost circulation, which plays a crucial role in moving toxins to the kidneys.
6. Lubricates the Joint
How you move, work, and everything you do relies on the effectiveness of your joints. You must have properly lubricated joints and well-functioning cartilage to move. One important thing to note is that cartilage is more than 80 percent water. So when you become dehydrated, your will cartilage becomes ineffective. That is when you will start experiencing joint pains since the cartilage cannot provide the needed shock-absorbing abilities. This is another health benefits of drinking water
7. Improved Digestion
There are several crucial things that affect the effectiveness of the digestion system. First is the amount of saliva. The digestive system starts at the mouth where food is broken down by the teeth and moisten by the saliva. Saliva also contains amylase that breaks down starches in the mouth. If the amount of saliva produced in the mouth is inadequate, then you will definitely have a problem with the digestive system. The mucus in the mouth and the whole of the gut is also crucial in the digestion process. You need to drink a lot of water for the body to produce adequate saliva and mucus for proper digestion.
8. Keeps Sensitive Tissues (Brain, Spinal Cord) Functioning
Water is crucial for the proper functioning of sensitive tissues. For the brain and spinal cord to function correctly, the body must be well-hydrated. That is why when you very thirsty, you are likely to experience a headache. It is also important to note that water is involved in the production of neurotransmitters and hormones. So you need to drink an adequate amount of water to think and reason correctly. That's another health benefits of drinking water.
9. Regulates Body Temperature
The temperature of the body must be maintained at around 98.6°F (37°C). Water plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature in the required range. When it becomes too hot, and the body temperature starts to rise, the skin will start sweating and in the process, cool the body as it evaporates. So when you are working out, the body heats up, but as the sweat evaporates, it has a cooling effect on the body. That's another health benefits of drinking water. So if you are in the environment of heat stress, then you need to drink a lot of water.
10. Improves Your Mood
You will be surprised to learn that drinking water can help improve your moods. If the body is dehydrated, it means that all the organs of the body, including the brain, are not functioning properly. The level of circulation is poor, and that means body cells are not working properly. In addition, the level of toxins in the body keeps building up. So you feel fatigued and can’t think and reason properly. All this leads to a bad mood. But when drink adequate, every organ in the body is working correctly hence no stress and anxiety.
Drinking water is crucial not only in quenching you thirsty but has so many other health benefits. That’s why everyone should have a water drinking schedule to ensure that they are the right amount of water every day.
