Water is probably the most popular thing on earth and to it being common, around us and being involved in our everyday lives, we seem to undermine the powerful benefits especially in the aspect of drinking. Keeping hydrated is crucial for health and well-being, but many people do not consume enough fluids each day.
Around 60 percent of the body is made up of water, and around 71 percent of the planet’s surface is covered by water.
Perhaps it’s the common nature of water that means drinking enough each day is not at the top of many people’s lists of priorities.
But here are the reasons why water is such a powerful element when it comes to your health:
1. Water Protects Your Tissues, Spinal Cord, and Joints
Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contains around 80 percent water. Long-term dehydration can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain. Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help you enjoy physical activity and lessen the discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis.
2. Water Helps Your Brain Function Optimally
A small study on adult men from China published in June 2019 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that dehydration is a drag to memory, attention, and energy. It’s no wonder, considering water makes up 75 percent of the brain. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning
3. It aids in 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. Research shows the body adapts to changes in the consistency of food and stomach contents, whether more solid or more liquid.
4. It helps to absorb nutrients
In addition to helping with food breakdown, water also helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use.
5. It helps maintain blood pressure
A lack of water can cause blood to become thicker, increasing blood pressure.
6. Weight loss
Water may also help with weight loss if it is consumed instead of sweetened juices and sodas. In a study of more than 18,300 American adults, people who drank just 1 percent more water a day ate fewer calories and less saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol, according to a study published in February 2016 in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Preloading” with water before meals can help prevent overeating by creating a sense of fullness.
7. It helps keep skin bright and healthy
Adequate water intake will help keep your skin hydrated and may promote collagen production. But with dehydration, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.
8. Water Helps Your Body Remove Waste
Water is needed in the processes of sweating and the removal of urine and feces. Water helps your kidneys remove waste from your blood and keep the blood vessels that run to your kidneys open and filter them out, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
9. It helps in blood oxygen circulation
Water carries helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body. Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood carries 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.
10. It regulates your body temperature
Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining your body temperature. Your body loses water through sweat during physical activity and in hot environments. Your sweat keeps your body cool, but your body temperature will rise if you don’t replenish the water you lose. That’s because your body loses electrolytes and plasma when it’s dehydrated. If you’re sweating more than usual, make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
