A Tall Glass Of Water: The Healthy Essence Of H20

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

Eat, drink and be merry, says and old adage…and we all know that for living our best life, eating an abundance of fruits and veggies, laughing often and drinking plenty of fluids is essential to our overall well-being. And, while wine and beer have recently proven to have a host of health benefits, the best beverage for your body and soul is good old H2O.

Remember, the human body is between 55 and 75% water and about 60% of your body weight is water-based. In fact, lean people have more water content than their peers since muscle holds more water than fat.

So, besides being a big part of how we look, water is often responsible for how we feel. Here are just some common conditions that water can cure.

1. Helps with headaches: Since your brain is 75% or three quarters water, the first sign of even slight dehydration is, believe it or not, a headache. And, if you aching head is due to too much water-depleting alcohol you’ll want to drink up lots of H20 to flush your system of toxins and helping you rehydrate, especially before hitting the sack.

2. Lowers your odds of infection: Our body’s lymphatic system is the key to competent waste disposal and breaking down toxins (such as caffeine) that we frequently take in and pump through our blood stream. Lack of water/dehydration decreases the flow of lymph in our system and results in making you and me more prone to infection. Adding water stimulates the lymphatic flow allowing for your system to more properly fight off infection and ward off increasing temps.

3. Keeps skin supple: The skin needs plenty of moisture to keep looking young, “flawless” and fresh. In fact, it’s water that helps preserve its elasticity. Lack of water can cause skin to dry and chafe, result in lines and making it feel sensitive.

4. Helps keep you focused: Can’t concentrate? Perhaps you’re a bit dehydrated. The body needs to flush out toxins to stay alert and astute. So, if you’re not getting the water you need, in essence your encouraging toxins (in your body) to stick around (typically in the liver), causing you to feel drained, tired and unable to stay focused or concentrate. Staying hydrated helps keep toxins moving through and out of the system, keeping your body and you vibrant and focused.

5. Helps you say bye-bye to bags: You know those dreaded circles under your eyes that regardless of how much sleep you get or how many creams you use, you just can’t seem to get rid of? Well, they may be signaling a “drinking” problem, primarily telling you that you’re not getting enough water in you system to keep eyes properly suspended in the eye socket. In fact, under-eye circles are the result of thin skin being bruised as fluid is drained away.

6. Alleviates Cramps: Blood is responsible for carrying oxygen to the muscles for your active lifestyle including exercising. So, if there isn’t ample oxygen available in the blood you muscles feel it. They create lactic acid that then results in painful cramping. Hydrating helps keep blood pumped with oxygen and cuts down on all those aches and pains.

7. Lowers your odds of cystitis: Healthy excretion systems are able to eliminate urine that is light yellow and almost odorless. However, a dehydrated body eliminates a darker urine that is more highly concentrated and may mean waste products linger in the bladder, putting you at greater risk for cystitis and kidney infections.

8. Works “wonders” for your digestion: Not drinking enough water means your colon (the lower part of your intestine) can function properly as it may dry out and get stuck, which, in time, may result in diverticulitis. Elimination can also be a problem since water is essential for this process. So, make sure to not only drink plenty of water but to hydrate your system with water-saturated fruits and veggies.

9. Reduces fluid retention: While most would tend to believe that the opposite is true, drinking plenty of water can reduce bloatiness and/or a puffy feeling. Why? Well, because if you body believes its dehydrated it will start “storing” water reserves… and that will make you immediately feel bloated.

10. Helps banish bad breath: Believe it or not foods that you consume have less to do with bad breath than your intake of H20 does. In fact, more often than not bad breath is your body’s signal to you to up your intake of water. Note that saliva helps keep your mouth and teeth clean and free of bacteria simply by keeping the tongue hydrated. Lack of water often results in dry mouth, can lead to a “furry” tongue and does little to help wash bacteria away, all, which can be responsible for bad breath.