Water; it comprises up to 60% of our bodies, and is critical to just about everything we do. However, the human body cannot store water – every day we are constantly losing the water in our bodies though breathing, sweating and urination; that means that consistently replenishing our fluid so that we stay hydrated is essential for good health and for the body to operate. So why aren’t we talking more about hydration? It’s time to dive deep and understand why aqua should be a health priority, and not an afterthought!
Water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other substances. When we drink water, we enhance our bodies’ ability to dissolve the nutrients from our food and distribute those nutrients for use in different parts of the body. This means that your dietary plan will be greatly enhanced by consistent hydration, so that you will truly get the most out of everything you are putting into your body!
Water flushes out toxins and waste. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys don’t have the amount of fluid they need to get rid of waste products!
Water helps to regulate body temperature. When we exercise, we burn molecular fuels, as well as protein, fat, and blood glucose from ingested nutrients. The breakdown of these energy providers releases heat. This heat builds up and raises our core body temperature. Subsequently, the body must rid itself of this heat in order to maintain a normal core body temp; we have several mechanisms of doing this, but the most important (accounting for about 75% of the cooling), is sweat! And in order to be able to excrete sweat, our bodies need to consume water. Staying hydrated means staying cool.
Water acts as a lubricant for joints and muscles. This not only makes physical activity easier, it also protects against discomfort from conditions like arthritis. More water = more comfortable!
Studies have linked body fat and weight loss with drinking water. This may be due to a number of the reasons above, as well as the fact that water works as an appetite suppressant; by taking up space in the stomach, it sends a message to your brain that you are full! There is also some evidence that drinking water may speed up your metabolism.
So how much water should you actually be drinking? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men, and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. Need help tracking your hydration? The HidrateSpark 3 is a revolutionary smart water bottle that tracks your water intake and lights up to remind you to drink through a Bluetooth app! Purchase now with cashback on the HW Store.
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