Water is the principal chemical component of the human body and makes up approx—50 to 70 percent of total body weight. Every cell, organ, and tissue requires water for optimal function. Water is highly essential for your health, but are you drinking enough water? The general rule says that we should drink 8 glasses per day. Nothing can beat the feeling of drinking a glass of water when quenching our thirst and even preventing constipation. Drinking water benefits your overall body.
Some facts about water
- Approximately 80% of our brain tissue is made up of water.
- If you are feeling thirsty then it means your body has already lost more than 1 per cent of the total water percentage of the body.
- Drinking water helps you in losing weight.
- Water constitutes up to 70 percent of human body weight- but it doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water to lose weight.
- The average amount needed by men is about 3 liters or 13 cups, and for females, it is 2.2 liters or 9 cups of water every day.
- Drinking enough water helps in keeping your colon, bladder, and other organs of the body healthy.
The benefits of drinking water range from weight loss to good skin and much more.
20 amazing benefits of drinking water
Here are the 20 amazing benefits of drinking water:
1. Regulates body temperature
Staying hydrated is essential to maintaining your body temperature. Our body loses water through precipitation as water is stored in the middle layer of the skin so, if you do not drink enough water, heat storage in the body increases and makes you less resistant to heat strokes since your body loses most of the electrolytes and plasma by sweating to keep you cool, so, it is important to stay hydrated.
2. Water aids in digestion
It is scientifically proven that drinking water before meals and 30 minutes post-meal helps the body to break down the food more easily. Though you can take a sip or two during the meal but not more than that. This will help your digestive system to work more efficiently and absorb more nutrients from the food. Also, not drinking enough water can lead to constipation and stomach acidity. Hence, it is important to stay hydrated.
3. It aids in making saliva
The main component of saliva is water. Saliva also includes tiny amounts of electrolytes, enzymes, and mucus that together form the oral microbiome, which is important for breaking down food in the body, i.e., the first step of digestion. It also keeps your mouth, eyes, and nose healthy by killing any foreign bacteria that enter the body through food, water, or air. Hence, it is important to keep your body hydrated as dehydration can make the body incapable of producing saliva that makes your mouth dry and your eyes itch.
4. It relieves constipation
Nowadays, constipation has become a common problem for people. Even though you are eating more fibrous food in your diet, if you are not hydrating yourself enough, it can lead to constipation. Studies have shown that if you are constipated then it is best to drink mineral water along with plain water. Drinking sodium and magnesium-rich mineral water benefit you in dealing with constipation. Yes, you heard it right mineral water is very beneficial and safe during constipation.
5. Dealing with aching joints
If you are dealing with aching joints, then dehydration might be one of the reasons as the cartilage, which is present at the end of the joints is made up of 90 percent water. If you are dehydrated for a long time then it can lead to a decrease in the shock-absorbing capacity of joints that can further lead to joint pain.
6. Drinking water for better skin
Our skin contains 72 percent water and even though you are following a good skincare regime, to keep it youthful from the inside, you must not neglect the importance of drinking enough water. It also balances the oil level in the skin to avoid oily skin, not to mention protection from sun and wind. It keeps your skin wrinkle-free and makes it look younger. When it comes to skin, nothing can beat the benefits of drinking hot water with a dash of lemon to keep it soft and supple.
7. Keep your kidneys healthy
Our kidneys help in the regulation of fluids in the body. Not drinking enough water can lead to kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Drinking enough water will help in diluting the concentration of the minerals so there will be less chance of forming stones.
8. Helps in losing weight
Drinking water helps in losing weight. If you drink water before your meals, it will give you a sense of fullness, hence preventing overeating. Also, drinking cold water slightly increases metabolism so that your body is able to burn more calories.
9. Improve the functioning of the brain
Our brain needs water to produce neurotransmitters and hormones. Dehydration can severely affect the functioning of the brain. Studies have shown that even mild dehydration of 1.4 percent can seriously affect your memory, mood, and cognitive motor skills.
10. Better performance during workout
Drinking enough water during a workout is necessary as it boosts your performance during the workout. Your body tends to sweat more during any strenuous exercise so a lot of water is lost, dehydration can affect your performance during a workout and even leads to muscle cramps.
11. Keeps you energized
Since our body is made up of 70 percent water and our blood is 90 percent water, you need water to keep yourself energized throughout the whole day. Our blood delivers oxygen throughout the body and water is an essential component of the blood. So, drinking enough water ensures you are energized throughout the whole day as it helps in oxidation.
12. Reduces headache
Recent studies have shown that one of the most common reasons for headaches is dehydration. So if you are having a severe headache then you might try a glass of water.
13. It flushes toxins from the body
Our body flushes out all the toxins in the form of sweat, urine, and feces. for that, it requires water. Water prevents the accumulation of waste in the body. Severe dehydration can lead to constipation, hampering the optimal function of the kidney. So drink more water to get rid of toxins from your body.
14. Transportation of essential minerals and nutrients
Our blood transport all the essential minerals and nutrients in our body. Minerals and nutrients are water-soluble and move independently in the blood so that our body can absorb them.
15. Necessary for the good immune system
Water plays a pivotal role in boosting immunity by flushing out all the toxins. It promotes oxidation and disease-fighting cells that are present in our lymph system, drinking hot water during cold is soothing and beneficial for your body.
16. Removes bad breath
Surprised by the fact that you still have bad breath even after brushing your teeth twice. If you are deprived of having enough water then it can cause bad breath. We have earlier mentioned that saliva helps in maintaining the oral microbiome, so drink water to ensure optimum oral health.
17. Regulate blood pressure
Water is necessary to maintain the viscosity of the blood. Dehydration can cause thickness in the blood that can lead to an increase in blood pressure which is not good for your heart health.
18. It is good at reducing hangover
Alcohol is dehydrating in nature, so if you are into drinking, it can lead to severe dehydration. This can lead to symptoms of fatigue, dry mouth, and headache. To prevent hangovers, drink a glass of water in between your drinks and drink at least a big glass of water before bed.
19. Your lungs need it
When you are dehydrated, your body constricts the airways of the lungs to minimize any further water loss. And, if you are having asthma and other allergies, dehydration can make it worse. So it is necessary to drink enough water for the optimal functioning of your lungs.
20. Helps in fighting diseases
If you are drinking adequate water, you are less likely to suffer from constipation, urinary tract infection, hypertension and migraines, etc. as water helps in keeping your nutrients and minerals in check.
So by now, you might have understood the role water plays in our overall wellbeing, Drinking water can solve most of your health issues so what are you waiting for, track your daily intake of water, and if it is less than the prescribed quantity then you must amend your lifestyle and incorporate more water.
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Priyanka Khurana Goyal is a prominent Indian figure renowned for her diverse accomplishments and contributions across various fields.. Read more
