Our body contains 60-80% water. In fact water is the major component of the human body so we must know the health benefits of drinking water adequately. To keep our system functional and healthy, we must follow some guidelines for drinking water. As the amount of water we consume in a day is directly proportional to our health and fitness. Water helps in maintaining a balance within our body and keeps our system hydrated to work efficiently. Both logic and science back the 8 by 8 rule which states; 8 ounces of water 8 times a day. It is therefore important to carry a bottle of water every time you head out of home or at work.
Water helps in digestion, circulation, absorption and excretion. These 4 form the major life functions within our body. Water also helps in cleansing our system and giving us shiny and radiant skin with rich complexion. Water helps in maintaining the pH balance of our body, adjusting body temperature, metabolism, breathing, preventing constipation, treating migraine, ulcers, gastric troubles, kidney stone, arthritis, backaches, bone deformities.
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Health Benefits of Drinking Water include:
1- Maintaining body temperature:
Fluids specially water is responsible to regulate our body temperature. We perspire during summer to dissipate excess heat from our body, and we get more thirsty to regulate the heat within by adding more and more water.
2- Water aids in metabolism:
Water is a medium in which nutrients, oxygen and hormones are carried to various organs and tissues in our body. Water also circulates and sheds degenerated or dead cells, waste and toxins out of our body. Our body needs water for adequate life functions of enzymes and hormones. Their production is also based on level of water in our body
3- Kidney functions: Also preventing and treating kidney stones
Water helps in diluting the harmful toxins like urea within our body. These are then passed though the bladder and ejected out of body via water as a medium. Scientific research shows drinking 10 or more glasses of water a day prevents kidney stone from forming in our body. Water is a great solvent thus it does not let salt and minerals to accumulate in our body. The salts in our system get dissolved in water and are excreted out from our body.
4- pH balance of our body:
Water helps in maintaining the pH balance in our body. Human body needs an optimal pH level of 7.3-7.4 to be maintained for proper physiological processes. If the acidic levels in our body rise then minerals and vitamins will not be assimilated in our body, resulting in their deficiency. Thus the pH balance must be maintained adequately to ensure better immunity and energy level within our body.
5- Prevention and treatment of various sickness and ailments:
– Rheumatoid arthritis: Joints in body get continuous friction and weathering. And result in arthritis if water is not maintained adequately in our body
– Cardiovascular diseases: Water helps in preventing many heart related diseases. As it maintaining blood circulation and distribution. It also hydrates the blood vascular components well and thus helping in combating cardiovascular diseases.
– Migraine, constipation, backache, gastritis, heartburn, ulcer: All these are attributed to low water intake and are due to inflammatory reactions within our body. Water helps in balancing and appeasing these. It also calms the body by pacifying the heat and refluxes.
6- Breathing and respiration:
Water plays an important role in breathing and respiration in our body. As it helps in distributing oxygen in our body and collecting carbon dioxide from our body and dissolving these gases to be ejected out.
7- Pregnant and nursing mothers:
Water is extremely important for pregnant and nursing mothers, as little one is dependent on the circulations within the mothers body for nourishment. The nutrients and food from mother to child during pregnancy are carried through the umbilical cord and water helps in it. Infections and digestive tract problems post delivery can be cured and even prevented by consuming lots of water.
8- For skin toning and nourishment:
Water helps in keeping our skin smooth, removing toxins and helps in skin toning. They help in maintaining turgidity of our skin and prevent skin deformities. If adequate levels of water are maintained in our body, then even acne, pimples, black lines, aging lines and other skin allergies can be prevented.
9- Water helps in psychological health and mental fitness:
Water helps in relieving fatigue and containing mood. It also helps in preventing stress. When there is less water in our body we feel tired and fatigued. Also, our mood swings rise. When our urine shows concentrated yellow color it means there is low body hydration and fatigue. Therefore the level of water must be maintained at optimally hydrated form, to keep stress and tensions away.
10- Flushes out toxins and helps in weight loss and weight balance:
Water is a great universal solvent. It helps in removing toxins and fats from body. Also it keeps the weight balanced. If more water is consumed it adds towards weight loss. Water also helps in preventing cough and cold by dissolving mucous and ejecting it out of body.
11- Drinking water also prevents hangovers:
The episodes of unpleasant and gibberish symptoms after uncontrolled alcohol intake is a hangover. Hangovers are caused largely by dehydration from diuretic properties of alcohol and thus drinking water in between drinks is advised to combat hangovers to a great deal.
12- Beats bad breath and body odor to some extent:
Bad breath is a big turn off, and body odor is equally damaging for your appreciation. Sufficient water helps in rinsing our mouth and esophageal passage thus preventing bad breath. It also helps in removing bacteria from the gums and teeth.
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How to add further to your water intake during the day:
1- Keep a bottle filled with water, with you every time
2- Set up alarms to drink water every half an hour and at least 4-6 ounces everytime
3- Add more fluids, specially fresh juices and lemonade. Keep it sugar free and natural for health benefits
4- Drink warm water when you wake up
5- Add more juicy foods to your diet like fruits and vegetables rich in water
6- If you take tea and coffee, then keep it to a minimal and decaffeinated without cream must be opted
7- Avoid heavy meals to keep hydration levels adequate in our body
8- Keep an app or tracker for water intake
The above compilation on the Health Benefits of drinking water adequately, is written to help us add more and more water in our diet and maintain body hydration. Water is a universal solvent and safest drink for our body, with benefits par excellence. Every body function is related to optimal level of water in our body. So water helps in sustaining life and health.
Keep drinking more and more water and send us your feedbacks, we love hearing from you!
Minu Manisha
