The Many Health Benefits Of Water

It's amazing how many benefits of water there are for your health.

But really, it shouldn't really come as a surprise. After all, our bodies are made up of about 70% water.

That's a lot of water!

Water is involved in every single life process that takes place in your body - digestion, circulation, transportation of nutrients, and the elimination of wastes.

Water helps to maintain the acid - alkaline balance in your body. And it supplies your body with the trace elements it needs.

Check out these health benefits of water:

• It cleanses the insides of your body.
• It can help to lessen the pain and burning of heartburn.
• It can help you maintain a healthy weight.
• It can help you to feel more energetic.
• One of the major benefits of water is that it can help relieve constipation. Try drinking two glasses of warm water first thing in the morning. That will help to clean out your colon and promote a bowel movement.
• Drinking enough water can also help to protect you against colon and bladder cancers.

What Happens If I Don't Drink Enough Water?

Did you know that your body can only live for about 3 days without water?

It's puzzling to me that even though water drinking is so important, most people only get enough water just to survive, but not to thrive and reach optimum health!

If you don't drink enough water every single day, you may be in a state of chronic dehydration without even realizing it! You are missing out on the benefits of water.

Not getting enough water puts a lot of unnecessary stress on your body. It also plays a role in the development of many serious health problems:

If you don't drink enough water, your body will be forced to get rid of its wastes in a much more concentrated form. This may leave you with some unwanted symptoms such as body odor, strong smelling dark-colored urine, and bad breath. Not very pleasant!

You may start to experience headaches, and fainting spells.

You may find yourself always feeling exhausted and worn out.

If your body does not get enough water, your blood will thicken. This can increase your chances of having a stroke. It can also damage your heart.

Chronic dehydration speeds up the aging process. Think about what happens to a grape when the water is removed. It turns into a wrinkled up raisin.

Raisins may be yummy and good for you, but I'm sure you don't want your skin looking like that!

What About Water From Other Beverages?

The answer to that question really depends on the beverage you choose to drink. You can get some water from freshly-pressed fruit or vegetable juices. You can also get water from herbal teas.

If you drink soda pop, alcoholic beverages, and coffee, you may think that you are getting enough liquids. But the truth is, those beverages can actually leave you more dehydrated than you were beforehand.

In that state you will not reap the benefits of water for your health and well being.

Many of these drinks have calories that must be digested. Some also contain refined sugar which needs to be metabolized. Since you need water for digestion and metabolism, you end up losing water from these drinks!

What about sugar-free diet drinks?

They are no better. Sugar-free diet drinks are usually artificially sweetened with harmful chemicals like aspartame which may irritate the lining of your gut. Those chemicals can put more strain on your body than plain white sugar does.

As for alcohol and caffeine, research shows that they actually dehydrate your body. They work as diuretics.

If you are serious about natural health and getting the benefits of water, the best choice would be to stop drinking soda pop, alcoholic beverages, and caffeinated beverages altogether.

Nothing beats water for giving your body the fluids it needs. for a refreshing, hydrating, and nourishing alternative to just plain water, you could try drinking pure coconut water.

If you absolutely must drink soda pop and coffee, then be sure to drink an extra glass of water for every glass or cup that you drink.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

To enjoy the benefits of water and to make sure all the systems in your body are working properly, you need to drink approximately eight glasses of water.

I say approximately because you may need more or less depending on your actual body weight.

Your body loses about 10 to 12 cups of water each day. You lose water through your skin, lungs, urine, and each time you have a bowel movement.

Depending on the kind of food you eat, you may get anywhere from 2 to 4 cups of water each day from your meals. In order to make up the difference, you should drink about 8 glasses of water.

Here is a simple formula by Dr. Batmanghelidj (author of Your Body's Many Cries for Water) to help you find out how much water you should drink according to your weight:

Divide your body weight in pounds by two. Drink one ounce of water for every pound.

If you are exercising or sweating a lot, you should increase the amount because your body is losing more water.

At the very least, try to drink enough water to keep your urine pale.

Tips For Getting Enough Water

Follow these tips and start experiencing the benefits of water right away:

• Get into the habit of having a glass or two of water first thing in the morning.
• To make water more refreshing and palatable, add a squeeze of lime or lemon. The lemon or lime will also boost the cleansing action of the water.
• Instead of having a cup of coffee or caffeinated tea during your lunch breaks, have a nice tall glass of water. It may be just what you need to feel more refreshed and energized throughout your day.
• In the morning, fill a water bottle or two with the amount of water that you need to drink for that day. Carry those bottles with you and sip slowly throughout the day.
• Don't wait until you are thirsty before you start drinking water. By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already in a dehydrated state.
• Try to avoid drinking water with your meals. Drinking water with your meals dilutes the gastric juice. This slows down the digestive process. You definitely won't get the benefits of water that way. Instead drink water freely between your meals.
• Try to drink pure, natural spring water when you can. If you cannot get it, then think about getting a water filter for your home. Try to get one that will remove the chemicals and heavy metals that may be in your water supply. A good charcoal filter will remove most contaminants. You will have much better tasting water too.

Start drinking water today and in a few days you'll see the major difference it makes for your health and your skin. It's never too late to start!

Once you start experiencing the benefits of water, you'll never go back.

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