Lighten Up

A recent study found that an estimated 75 percent of Americans are not drinking enough water for health and optimum daily performance. Even mild dehydration can cause major problems in the delicate ecosystem that is your body. The effects of drinking more water are surprising.

1. Weight Loss – There are several reasons for this. Water has zero calories – a vast improvement over sugar sodas or other drinks. Water also fills you up so you eat less AND can boost metabolism. In studies, drinking half a liter (17 ounces) of water was shown to increase metabolism by 24-30% for up to 1.5 hours. Try drinking a glass of water half an hour before meals to curb your appetite. Also, it’s best to drink cold water; the body will use additional energy (calories) to heat the water to body temperature.
2. Improves Complexion – Dehydration causes skin to look dry and wrinkled. Proper hydration can help keep your skin plump and radiant.
3. Improves Kidney Function – Drinking plenty of water helps your body flush toxins through urination and sweating. This helps reduce the risk of Urinary Tract Infections and possibly even kidney stones.
4. Improves Brain Function – Even mild dehydration can impair brain function. Lack of water can cause a lack of focus, brain fatigue, memory loss and even headaches, sleep issues, anger, depression, and more.
5. Relieves Constipation - Constipation can be related to dehydration in the colon, so you need to make sure you are drinking lots of water. When your body is properly hydrated, less water will be withdrawn from the colon. This will keep your stool soft and easy to pass.
6. Prevents Muscle Fatigue - When dehydrated, the fluid loss causes a drop in blood volume, which makes the heart work harder to push oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream to the brain, skin, and muscles. This causes fatigue and even more muscle soreness if you’re exercising.
7. Cuts Risk of High Blood Sugar – A recent French report shows that Drinking four or more 8-ounce glasses of water a day may protect against the development of high blood sugar. The reason may be because whenever blood sugars are high, they need lots of water to leave via the kidneys: a ratio of 6 molecules of water for every molecule of sugar.
8. Helps Relieve Chronic Ailments – Water provides the hydration necessary to lubricate the joints for less joint pain, produce serotonin to help with mild depression and produce melatonin to help with insomnia.