Are you drinking enough water? Many Americans are chronically dehydrated, but did you know that the thirst mechanism can become so weak that it is mistaken for hunger? Even mild dehydration will slow down a persons metabolism by as much as 3%. And on the flip side of things one glass of water shut down late night hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters in a University of Washington study. Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
Here is a list of 18 more reasons to keep well hydrated:
1) Preliminary research indicates that 8 to 10 glasses of water a day can significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
2) A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficulty in focusing on a computer screen.
3) Drinking 5 glasses of water a day significantly decreases the risk of several types of cancer.
4) A glass of water 30 minutes before a meal helps digestion.
5) A glass of water before taking a bath helps lower blood pressure.
6) A glass of water before going to bed helps avoid stroke or heart attack.
Water also:
7) Regulates body temperature.
8) Composes at least 75% of the brain.
9) Makes up 83% of the blood.
10) Is an important part of the waste removal system.
11) Makes up 22% of the bones.
12) Cushions the joints.
13) Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
14) Moistens oxygen for breathing.
15) Helps convert food into energy.
16) Helps protect and cushion the vital organs.
17) Helps the body to absorb nutrients.
18) Makes up 75% of the muscles.
In addition to all these incentives for drinking lots of water, I find that if I feel tired or lacking in energy and I just want to lie on the couch I need one of 2 things; either exercise or water. Usually just a couple glasses of water will restore my energy and bring me back to normal feelings of alertness.
It seems amazing that water is so important and that lack of water can throw us off so much but when you think about how much water is in our bodies it makes sense that it is so important to drink a lot of water every day. If you get tired of drinking plain water add lemon, lime or flavored stevia to it and give your taste buds something new.