Water Health Benefits
Water is the miracle of life.. Understanding the water health benefits will make you appreciate this miracle more. Your body is made up of approximately 70% of water and every living thing or cell has some percentage in its composition.
How Much Water is Enough to Stay Safely Dehydrated?
• Drink an average of 8 standard glasses or 2 litres of water per day as you will get about 20% of your water every day through food.
• An overweight person needs an extra glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight.
• Thirst alone is not a good indicator for when to drink and you may be a little dehydrated by the time you feel it. The older you get the less you are able to sense dehydration. So remember to drink before you get thirsty.
• Keep a glass or a bottle of water next to your bed.
• Drink more when the weather is hot and dry or when you exercise.
Water Health Benefits:
• You need to drink enough water for your kidneys to function properly and not to develop bladder and kidney disorders due to the heavy concentration of urine.
• Water will help you with weight loss and maintaining your ideal weight as it is a natural appetite suppressant, it improves your energy levels and helps your body metabolize the stored fat.
• Hydrating you body by drinking more water can help detoxify your body and your skin by flushing toxins out of your body and getting rid of elements that may cause acne. Water also acts as a natural moisturizer.
• Water is the key to a successful workout for comfort, optimal performance and safety. You need to be well hydrated before, during and after the physical activity. The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat. This is linked to a drop in blood volume and the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream, which may also cause fatigue, dizziness and muscle cramps.
• Although headaches have several causes, dehydration is a more common one and this sort of headache is usually brought on by fatigue and you may be able to fix this by drinking more water.
• Water and fiber are the constipation‘s worst enemies. By drinking more water and eating high fiber foods, you are helping the waste materials move through the colon at a much easier and faster rate.
• One of the most common reasons for low energy is not drinking enough water. If you are low on water, it saps your energy levels. Simply drinking water can allow the electrolytes that you have to be used more thoroughly.
Cold or Warm Water?
• Warm water will make the digestion easier and help the fats pass through your body by preventing the clogging of arteries. And cold water may solidify the fats you have just eaten, which is not great if you are trying to lose weight.
• Chilled water may also be bad for slowing down aging as your body has to spend more energy to maintain your body temperature when you drink cold water.
• Warm water will help relax your body better, although cold water is more refreshing it will also decrease your body heat and disrupt your vocal cords- one reason why singers drink warm water.
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References:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/ hydrationandfluid/a/ ProperHydration.htm.
Institute of Medicine. Water. In: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Sodium, Cholride, Potassium and Sulfate, Washington, D.C: National Academy Press, pp. 73–185, 2005.
Exercise and Fluid Replacement, ACSM Position Stand, American College Of Sports Medicine, Medicine and Science In Sports & Exercise, 2007.
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/ water-education/water-health.htm: Water Health Benefits .
Water: How much should you drink every day? – MayoClinic.com
http://www.shapefit.com/ water-benefits.html: Water Health Benefits.
