The health benefits of water in the body can not be over emphasized, it is essential for life. but many people do not consume enough fluids each day.
About 60% of the body is made up of water, although water has no taste, it is the most important drink, and has become the second most popular drink (behind soft drinks) around the world.
On daily basis, we loss water through skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool. These losses must be replaced daily for good health ( Homeostasis). We get most of our water from drinking water and beverages, but food also contributes a small amount to the daily water intake.
11 Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Regulation Of Temperature: During physical activities or when eating hot foods, the body’s temperature increases, in other to cool the temperature, your sweat glands spring into action, making perspiration. Sweating is your body’s natural way of keeping you cool. Some sweat evaporates from your skin, taking heat with it.
If you’re sweating more than usual, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining the body’s temperature.
Production Of Saliva And Mucus: Saliva is essential for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth, nose and eye healthy and moist. Its major component is water though small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes are also included.
Our body generally produces enough saliva with regular fluid intake. However, your saliva production may decrease as a result of age or certain medications or therapies.
If your mouth is drier than usual and increasing your water intake isn’t helping, see your doctor.
Lubrication Of Joints: Water makes up about 80% of cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine. Long-term dehydration can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain.
Flushing Body Waste: Adequate hydration of the body helps in flushing waste from the body through urine, sweating and feces.
Nutrient Absorption: Water helps in dissolving the nutrients we get from the foods we eat. It also transports it to other parts of the body cells where there are absorbed.
Oxygen Circulation: Water carries so many substances in the body, and oxygen is not left out. 90% of the blood is made up of water, blood delivers oxygen to different parts of the body.
Reaching your daily water intake will improve your circulation and have a positive impact on your overall health.
Fighting Illnesses: Adequate hydration can help prevent certain medical conditions. Such as;
- Constipation
- Gallstones
- Kidney stones
- Exercise-induced asthma
- Urinary tract infection
- Hypertension
Water also helps you absorb important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food, which will increase your chances of staying healthy.
Skin Health And Appearance: Drinking enough water can make your skin look better. Without enough water, your skin may look duller, and wrinkles and pores are more noticeable. Water plumps up the skin filling in pores and wrinkles, making them less apparent.
Also, when skin is hydrated it is less likely to become dry and cracked. When your skin isn’t cracking, it makes it harder for bacteria to get in and cause blemishes.
Weight Reduction: Drinking enough water, helps you loss weight, by increasing satiety and boosting metabolism.
Boosts Muscle Energy: When muscles don’t have an adequate amount of water, they become fatigued and performance is affected.
Adequate fluid intake before, during and after exercise to replace water lost through sweating is important. Water activates metabolism, thereby releasing energy for the body during exercises.
Aids Digestion: Drinking water before, during, and after a meal will help your body break down the food you eat more easily. This will help you digest food more effectively and get the most out of your meals.
Water Recommendations
Because water is so important, you might wonder if you’re drinking enough. Experts recommends that if you feel as though you need to be drinking more water, the following 5 tips can help;
- Drink some kind of beverage with every meal.
- Choose beverages you like. You are more likely to drink more if you choose beverages that you like the taste of.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Water-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables account for about 20% of our fluid intake.
- Try to have a bottle of water with you at all times.
- If you don’t like the taste of water, add your own natural flavors to it such as lemons or oranges.
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