Water: Why Should We Drink It?

For those of you who are unaware, water makes up about 60% of our body composition. It has also recently become the world's second most popular drink, behind soft drinks. When people opt to change their diet or eating habits, one of the first things I suggest is introducing more water into their diet. Even swapping out one sugary drink for water can be beneficial. These days, more and more people are carrying water bottles, which I think is really great! Throughout the day, our body loses fluids via perspiration, breathing, urination, defecation and skin evaporation and in order to maintain good healthy this fluid needs to be replaced. When your fluid intake is not equal to your fluid output, your body can become dehydrated--which most people are because they don't drink enough water during the day to make up for the fluids they are losing.

I drink water every chance I get. I have a re-useable waterbottle made by Contigo and it's so great! I never go anywhere without it. There are a million and one reasons why we should drink more water, but I'm only going to list a few so you can get the idea:

1. It Can Help Control Calories: dieters have been drinking water in large quantities for years now as a weight loss strategy, but there isn't any secret to this--subbing water for higher calories beveraged can certainly help lower calorie intake. Foods with high water content have higher volume which require more chewing and it is absorbed slower by the body which helps you feel full. 

2. Water Helps You Looking Young: your skin contains a high concentration of water and functions as a protective layer to prevent fluid loss. Regular consumption of water keeps your skin moisturized and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It you don't drink enough water, your body will retain it and this can make your skin puffy and can cause bloating.

3. Drinking Water Helps Build Muscle: water carries oxygen to the cells of your body, which includes those in your muscles. Drinking plenty of water enables your muscles to work harder and longer before they feel tired and this can help you build muscle.

4. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue: since the body is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. It also boosts your energy levels!

5. Decreases You Risk of Certain Cancers: sufficient intake of water reduces your risks of getting cancer of the colon and bladder by destroying agents that cause cancerous cells to multiply. Water reduces the levels of concentration in the cells before they get a chance to make contact with your organs. 

These are just some of the many benefits water can provide. There is also a lot of debate on how much water you should be drinking a day--the recommendation for awhile was "eight glasses a day". It is very hard to ballpark something like this for EVERYONE because everyone's body is different and requires different amounts of everything. One way to tell if you are drinking enough water is to look at your urine--if you don't drink enough water your urine will be highly concentrated and a dark yellow color, but if you are properly hydrated, your urine will be a very light yellow or even clear.

I drink water for the majority of my day--when I'm sitting in class, driving to and from places, waiting, when I'm bored, doing homework and cooking. The way I look at it, if you think you are drinking enough water, you probably aren't. Drinking plenty of water has so many benefits, it's pretty silly not to!!

ENJOY!!