Most of us have heard time and time again to drink at least 2 liters of water a day for our health, but do you know what water actually does, apart from keeping us hydrated of course? Water has many benefits that extend far beyond our basic need for it to survive, and here are five signs you may not be drinking enough!
1. Skin Breakouts
Breaking out frequently for no apparent reason? Poor hydration is a likely culprit. Your skin remains hydrated from, what else – water!
2. Inability to Lose Weight
Drinking plenty of water allows more toxins to be flushed out of your system through urination and it also helps your body to burn stored fat, putting less strain on your liver and kidneys. Tweet this! Water also helps to suppress the appetite; many times, when you feel hungry, it might just be thirst. Try drinking a glass or two of water before reaching for that snack.
3. Joint Pain
Prevent painful and stiff joints, especially during the colder months, by keeping them well lubricated as your joints need moisture in order to remain strong and flexible so that your movements are pain free.
4. Weakened Immune System
Water is essential to ward off colds and flu, because water helps in the production of lymph. Lymph is used by the immune system to circulate nutrients and white blood cells to all of the body’s tissues thus preventing infections.
5. Depression
Serotonin is produced by the brain and is responsible for you feeling happy and calm. Without adequate water your brain won’t be able to produce serotonin, which in turn will affect your mood in a negative way resulting in depression or even anxiety.
Bonus: Decreased Mental Performance
Bonus sign! Water transports oxygen to the brain, which allows it to communicate important messages to the rest of the body. Just the slightest lack of hydration can reduce your concentration and impair your ability to think clearly and can affect your mental performance.
Finally, Make Sure It’s Clean
The vast majority of tap water in the USA (and everywhere in Australia) is chlorinated and flouridated (and often contains pesticides, herbecides, fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals because these are not removed at water treatment facilities). Both chemicals are known to be harmful to your health, so money invested in a quality water filtration system is money well spent. Keep in mind that the typical small tap water filters will not remove flouride. You’ll need a more advanced filter, reverse osmosis, or distillation unit to remove flouride! Also consider a whole house water filter (or shower head filter) so that you don’t inhale chlorine fumes when showering.
These are a few of the wonderful benefits of drinking water every day. Make sure, though, to avoid tap water and bottled water, they are usually full of many chemicals (and plastic water bottles cause cancer!) so stick to filtered water. When exercising, also ensure you intake sufficient electrolytes at the same time!
