We all know that drinking plenty of water throughout the day is beneficial and necessary. Scientifically and biologically it makes sense because 70% of the human body is made up of water and without water our bodies would cease to function properly. We require water for important functions like our digestion, creation of saliva, transportation of oxygen and nutrients and maintaining our body temperature. But beyond the life giving essential reasons for drinking water, here are 7 more reasons that you may want to consider.
1. Your Skin Will Look Better
Imagine a nice juicy ripe grape, luscious, hydrated and plump on the vine. Now imagine that same grape a week later fallen off the vine shriveled, wrinkled and dehydrated on the ground. The same scenario holds true for your skin. If you are drinking plenty of water your skin will stay plump and juicy like that grape on the vine. When you drink enough the cells in every part of your body get hydrated through the blood. Your skin being the largest organ of the body and certainly the most visible, will show those plump juicy hydrated cells Dehydrated skin is vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling just like that fallen grape. Dehydrated skin can even look puffy as it is retaining water to try and protect it from further dehydration.
2. It’s Detoxifying
We are all exposed to environmental pollution and toxins every day. It’s true, we do our best to try and eat clean and organic foods, and put into practice a healthy lifestyle but those pollutants are still out there and they make their way into our bodies. Our job is drink plenty of water each day to aid our systems in flushing them from the body through sweat and the elimination process.
3. You May Shed a Few Pounds
A dehydrated sluggish body is not optimal performing. Staying hydrated helps you have more energy to burn more calories. Water is 100% calorie free and can also help you to feel full and suppress your appetite if you drink a glass of water before a meal.
4. Your Brain Will Thank You
Your brain is made up of mostly water and we know that water is required for every cell in the body to function optimally. Water transports oxygen and nutrients to the brain through blood flow and this makes your brain happy, improving concentration and cognition. Drinking an 8 ounce glass of water when you first wake up in the morning is a best practice for your brain after 6 to 8 hours of no hydration while you sleep.
5. Ward of Headaches
A dehydrated brain can contract and pull away from the skull resulting in a headache. Keeping your brain plump and hydrated expands the watery mass and staves of those dehydration headaches.
6. Helps Maintain Optimal Blood Pressure
Your blood can become dehydrated and thick when you don’t drink enough water. Pouring molasses through a pipe and waiting for it to come out the other end is quite a different experience than pouring water through that same pipe. You can equate your arteries and blood flow to the same scenario. Hydrated blood is traveling through the body swiftly and easily carrying oxygen and nutrients to all your organs and doing it’s job optimally.
7. Digestion and Gut Health Will Improve
Drinking enough water will help to balance your bodies PH levels and aid in digestion. It makes perfect sense that you want to keep the pipes flowing and lubricated to flush out those nasty toxins that made their way in, water helps them make their way out! A healthy gut is a healthy brain. Did you know that your gut is where 90% of your serotonin production comes from? Your brain just mimics what your gut is making so lets keep the gut flushed and prosperous so we can saturate our systems with the happy hormone! I mean who doesn’t want that?
Now that we have gone over all these important reasons to stay hydrated let me suggest a few ways to accomplish optimal hydration daily.
1.Drink Water
Studies show you should drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water per pound of what you weigh. SO if you weigh 100 lbs. you should drink between 50 and 100 ounces of water a day. That is between 6 and 12 8oz glasses a day. Adding some fruit to your water can make it more interesting. Cut up some cucumber and lemon and add it to a big pitcher and keep it in the refrigerator. A glass of this elixir is not only refreshing but you get the added benefits of the Vitamin C from the lemons!
2. Eat your Water
Fruits and Veggies have high water content, some more than others. Veggies definitely take the lead here with lettuce, radishes, cucumber, box choy, tomatoes, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus and mushrooms all being great choices for added hydration with well over 90% of their weight in water. If you not inspired by the veggies, the fruits are another great choice with melons, berries, citrus, pineapple, grapes and pears being front runners.
3. Drink Herbal Teas
These can be enjoyed hot or cold and you get the added nutritional benefit. Some of my favorite herbal teas include Chamomile, Lavender, Rooibos, Rosehip, Olive Leaf and Lemongrass. Valarian Root is a great sleepy time tea right before bed.
4. Drink Coconut Water
Coconut Water has excellent hydrating properties. It is high in potassium and low in calories. Its natures energy drink and a great choice for a post workout quench!
Alright team hydration, you’ve got your marching orders! Time to go out and hydrate and glow! And leave us your favorite ways to hydrate in the comments below. We are always looking for ways to up our hydration game!
Love, M.