Health Benefits of Water: Earth's Miracle Drink

The human body is dependent on water; it effects us in more ways than we know. Ever wondered why everyone acts nuts on a full moon? You can thank the moon for messing with the water inside of you. With close to 80% of our body's content being water, it is important to keep ourselves as hydrated as possible. There are several great reasons why one should drink water and cut junk-drinks like sodas and fruit cocktail juices out of our diets, and the benefits are monumental. Let's talk a bit about what some of those benefits are.

Weight loss

Weight loss is probably the most prominent benefit tied to drinking water. Most people do not realize how much drinking soda can hinder them in reaching his or her weight loss goals, but think of it this way: soda is, essentially, carbonated, liquid sugar that adds no nutrients to your body and, in fact, can end up leaving you feeling more dehydrated. By drinking water, you are replenishing the water that your body naturally loses throughout the day via activity helping your body to maintain that 80% water content. Water helps flush out toxins in your body, making it easier for fat cells to melt away through exercise. Think of these toxins as a barrier; with them, the fat has to go through an obstacle course to melt away. Without them, your body is able to perform natural functions such as sweating and fat burning with much more ease: thus, making it easier to lose those extra pounds. Many people state that once they cut soda out of their diet that they drop a significant amount of weight quickly. Within less than 6 months, I personally dropped about 10 pounds just by not drinking soda (this is without exercise, also!). Others have claimed even more dramatic results, nearing 20 and 30 pounds. Remember, though: everyone is different. These results will vary based on how much soda you drink, and how much extra fat you have to lose.

Here is an important thing to remember: the body's signal for thirst is often mistaken for hunger. If you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first. Wait 20 minutes, and if you are still hungry after that, then grab a bite to eat.

Heart Health

Related to weight loss is, of course, the health of your heart. It is a well known fact that over-weightness and obesity increases a person's chances of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes - all of which can be fatal. The most obvious reasons for this increase in heart health tied to weight loss due to drinking water, is the lack of fat surrounding the heart, the lack of pressure on the heart from the extra body weight, and the increased blood circulation. Next time you reach for a Pepsi (no, it does not matter if it's "diet" or not. I like to say, there is no "diet soda"), think of your heart.

Skin, Hair and Nail Improvement

Another great, though lesser known perk to drinking water is the improvement in the quality of your hair, skin and nails. Keeping the body hydrated with water fosters the perfect environment for getting rid of those toxins we talked about earlier. While they can hinder weight loss, they can also prevent your hair, skin and nails from being as strong and resilient as you would like for them to be. Generally, people who do not drink soda and opt for water instead have much clearer, even toned skin and get less acne outbreaks due to the drastically smaller intake of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. While everyone gets the occasional zit, you may notice after cutting soda out of your diet, that your skin is better at recovering from them. Redness is reduced, and because your skin is able to regenerate more easily, scars fade faster. Because your hair is dead, I would not say that drinking water necessarily makes it "grow faster." However, what water can improve is the strength of your hair, and the appearance of it. Stronger hair will give you the illusion that it is growing faster, when really it only looks that way because the ends are not breaking off as much as they would be. Drinking plenty of water will also give your hair a natural shine to show off the improved health; the same goes for your fingernails!

Energy

Here is one that tends to throw people off. How can cutting a sugary drink out of your diet give you more energy? Sugar and caffeine perk you up and give you more energy, right? Wrong. Sugary, caffeinated drinks are fine for a jolt of energy that will last you an hour or two, until you hit the dreaded crash period where you can feel sluggish for just as long, if not longer. All those calories for that 1-hour jolt, only to feel too tired to walk it off afterwards? Not worth it. By incorporating water into your diet, you can cut out the sluggishness that accompanies dehydration and will find yourself more alert without feeling jittery and unable to concentrate. The energy drinks that promise you all of these things are wastes of cash and taste horrendous. Why not grab a glass of water? It's free!

Now that I have gone over with you the importance of drinking water and given you some suggestions, I hope that you will begin taking the steps to better health. The occasional soda is fine, but as often as you can opt for water or unsweetened ice tea that you can add your own sugar to. The benefits that water can have are incredible and worth the extra trips to the bathroom. It may not taste like anything, but it certainly is a miracle drink!