Why We Need Water: It Keeps You Sexy

Water Really Does Everything

The only thing water doesn’t do it make for an interesting blog topic… cause it’s water. Water doesn’t come out of the tap in fantastical rainbow colours, there’s no delightful fizzle when you drink it, and most people, unless they’re very thirsty, don’t say “What I could go for right now is a giant glass of H2O”. I say that… but I’m weird. My point is, water isn’t facinating, but listen up because here’s why we need water. It helps to keep you sexy

Why We Need Water

• Our bodies are made up of at least 60% water.
• Water is the main ingredient of all the bodily fluids (eww, bodily fluids) and is involved in almost everything our body does; digestion, absorption, circulation, and excretion.
• About 81% of our bloodstream is water. That same bloodstream carries healing factors through our bodies when we’re injured.
• 95% of our urine is water
• 99% of our sweat is water
• When toxins invade our body, sweat and urine are usually responsible for carrying the toxins out of the body.

If water is so important why do we spend so much time drinking everything BUT water? You drink soda laden with sugar because you like how the bubbles taste, you drink fruit juices because they are delicious and you seem to think they’re a healthy alternative to soda (they are, just not by as much as you’d think), and you drink coffee because being sleepy in the morning is not an option… also because you’re slightly addicted to it, and it’s what the cool kids do. Or maybe you do prefer water. Yay! It hydrates you perfectly without the risk of harm caused by refined sugars, chemicals, and additives. It is by far the best choice because it’s what your body needs to look and feel it’s best.

So what happens to our bodies when we don’t get enough liquids? Essentially we dry ourselves out (dehydration). This is linked to an incredibly long list of health problems like: Adult-onset diabetes, arthritis, asthma, back pain, cataracts, chronic fatigue syndrome, colitis, depression, heartburn, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney stones, lupus, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. Dehydration will show on your fingernails and can lead to dry eyes. Dehydration can also show on your skin. Not very sexy huh.

Drinking enough water benefits the skin in several ways. First, it helps the skin stay hydrated. Hydrated skin is suppler, has better tone, and always appears more healthy and vibrant, regardless of age or condition.
Dermascope.com

Water also helps to metabolize fat so it helps with weight loss. More yay!

How Much Water Do You Need?

Our actual water requirements vary from person to person, but we’ve been taught that we need to drink 8 cups of water a day to stay hydrated. We get another 4 cups from food, bringing the total to about 12 cups a day. Many people believe this recommendation to be out of date though, which it is, and there is little scientific evidence to back it up. Fortunately, recent studies have led Europe, the U.S. Institute of Medicine, and the World Health Organization to recommend a daily water intake, from all sources, of 8-11 cups a day for women and 10-15 for men. Those numbers include food, so it translates to women needing 4-7 cups of water a day and men needing 6-11. It’s also important to note that older adults can be dehydrated quickly, since the percentage of water that our bodies store drops with age and our sense of thirst also dulls with age.

Women should aim to get 4 to 7 cups of water a day and men should aim for 6 to 11 cups

How To Drink More Water

Consume more water, herbal teas, juices (freshly juiced), and soups. Start your day immediately after waking with 2 cups of filtered water for hydration and purification. It will hydrate you properly since it’s exactly what your body wants. If you get bored with plain water you can add fresh fruit for flavor. Fresh fruits & veggies will also increase your liquids intake as they’re high-water-content foods.

To Conclude

Water is amazing, but we don’t drink enough of it. When you’re thirsty, don’t reach for a soda or sugary fruit juice, just drink some H2O! Think of sodas, alcohol, energy drinks, and fruit juices as treats; not something you reach for regularly for hydration. Drink water and lots of it. It will keep you sexy 😉

Sources

Elson Haas, Buck Levin. Staying Healthy with Nutrition.
New York: TenSpeed Press, 2006. Print.

Harvey Diamond,  Marilyn Diamond. Fit For Life.
Warner Books – 1985

Colbin, Annemarie. Food and Healing.
Ballantine Books, 1996.

Phyllis Balch, James Balch. Prescription for Dietary Wellness.
Avery Pub. Group. 1998. Print

www.netdoctor.co.uk/beauty/skincare/a28038/how-to-fix-dehydrated-skin/

www.nutritionfacts.org/video/how-many-glasses-of-water-should-we-drink-a-day/

www.nutritionfacts.org/video/treating-dry-eye-disease-with-diet-just-add-water/