Drinking enough water benefits more than just your thirst. Did you know that 75% of your brain is made of water, so if you are dehydrated, you are actually putting stress on your mind? Here are just a few ways that water can help you stay healthy.
- Weight Loss. Drinking plenty of water can help you feel full and speed up your metabolism. Plus, if you can replace your daily juice and soda with water, you can cut back on a lot of unneeded calories.
- Healthy Skin. If you are dehydrated, wrinkles and fine lines are deeper. Water helps plump up your skin cells, making your face look younger. Who knew! Nature’s free beauty cream.
- Muscle Tone. Water helps prevent cramping and can lubricate the joints in your body. Staying properly hydrated means you can give your exercise more strength and go for longer periods of time.
- Low Stress. When you are dehydrated, your mind is stressed. This is because 75% of your brain tissue is made of water. So, to keep your stress down, make sure you are getting enough water. Keep a bottle with you as you move throughout your day and drink it regularly.
- Energy Boost. When you are feeling tired, drinking water can actually help you gain back some lost energy. It can help your heart pump more efficiently and help your blood deliver nutrients to your cells.
- Staying Regular. Water is important to digestion. Just like fiber, making sure you are getting enough water can mean the difference between a regular digestive system and an irregular one.
- Reduce Kidney Stones. Kidney stones are becoming more and more prevalent. One reason for this increase could be because adults and children are not getting enough water. As water moves through your system, it dilutes the minerals in your urine that form kidney stones. If your urine is diluted, kidney stones can’t develop in the first place, so make sure you are getting enough!
- Headache Relief. Dehydration can cause migraines and back pain. Making sure you get enough water should be your first step if you start feeling a headache coming on.
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-water-9/slideshow-water-health
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4287/10-Reasons-Why-You-Should-Drink-More-Water.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/22/fascinating-facts-you-never-knew-about-the-human-brain.aspx