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Benefits of Water
Drinking water may just be the most important piece of puzzle dealing with your health. It is actually the cheapest natural home remedy for a lot of problems people face daily. When you think about it, it makes sense, too, seeing as how more than half your body is comprised of it. Why then do so many people have such a hard time consuming an adequate amount? Answers I get to this question are: it's bland, it's boring, it tastes bad. Maybe we could try to change those mentalities so that our bodies can reap the benefits that water really has! The amount you consume each day plays such a vital role in maintaining a healthy body on both the inside and out. Here's why:
WEIGHT LOSS--- Water is one of the best tools for weight loss for a few reasons. 1. It can replace high calorie drinks and alcohol. 2. It has 0 fat, 0 calories, 0 sugar, and 0 carbs. 3. It helps increase the rate at which the body burns fat and promotes the breakdown of fat cells. 4. It is a great appetite suppressant. When you drink water, it fills your stomach and reduces the tendency to eat more and often times, when we think we're hungry, we're actually just thirsty. Â TIP: Drink 1-2 glasses of water before your meal to help suppress your appetite (if that's a problem for you).
ENERGY & MOOD--- Being dehydrated can literally sap every bit of your energy and make you feel completely lethargic. Dehydration of as little as 1-2% of your body weight (which can result from exercise alone) can drastically change how you feel because even a small loss of water makes the body function less efficiently. For example, your heart has to work way harder to pump the blood. Studies have shown that when dehydrated, mood and concentration in women declines. In men, memory becomes impaired and feelings of anxiety increases.
HEADACHES--- If you have a headache, before popping the Tylenol, try drinking a tall glass of water. When we get headaches/migraines, it is often a sign that we simply have just not had enough water! Researchers have found that increasing water intake helped reduce the total number of hours and intensity of headaches.
HEALTHY SKIN--- Drinking a proper amount of water can clear up your skin and help you look more fresh and glowing. Certain toxins in the body can cause the skin to inflame, which will result in clogged pores/acne. If you want smooth skin, less wrinkles, clearer eyes, less cellulite, focus on hydrating!
DIGESTION--- Drinking water definitely improves your gastrointestinal tract's ability to function. Our digestive systems need a good amount of water to digest food properly. Water, alone, can help cure stomach acid problems and, combined with fiber, constipation. TIPS: 1. Drink 1-2 glasses of slightly warm water first thing in the morning to wake up internal organs and promote regular bowel movements. 2. Drink 1 glass of water before a meal to help digestion
CLEANSING--- The body uses water in the form of sweat and urine to help flush out toxins and waste from the body. To a degree, the more water you drink, the better your kidneys will function, and since they have such an important role in clearing away what we don't need, that is definitely something we should aim for. Also, if you have any issues with kidney stones or UTIs, water can help to pass them. TIP: The color of your urine is a good indicator of your level of hydration. The lighter the color, the better the level of hydration and nice versa.
PERFORMANCE--- We all know it is essential to drink water when exercising, but did you know being dehydrated can make your performance when exercising suffer? It slows you down and makes your workouts harder. Simply put, when the muscles don't have enough water, they get sleepy. This is especially true when working intensely or outside. Losing even a little bit can lead to poor body temperature control, reduced motivation, increased fatigue, and increased feelings of difficulty. TIP: Drink a good amount of water a couple hours before a tough workout.
A couple more tips: -drinking 1 glass of water before taking a shower helps prevent high blood pressure -drinking 1 glass of water before bed helps prevent strokes or heart attacks .
Some ways to make it a habit:
1. drink a glass with each meal
2. carry a water bottle with you all day
3. keep water at your desk at work
4. when you feel like you want a snack, try drinking water first
5. substitute for water instead of a coffee or soft drink
6. track your water. record the number of glasses you drink
REMEMBER: If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated...so get to drinking!
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