Water is freaking awesome – we all know it. It quenches our thirst, it washes our bodies, it invites us to some of the most fun exercises, it cools us down, and does this list need to keep going?
We don’t doubt that you love water and know it’s important to your health. It’s been drilled into our heads since Year 2 when the teacher allowed us to bring water bottles to class. But people are always going on and on about how important it is to stay hydrated, yet they rarely give a lengthy explanation as to why. Well we’re here to change that today. Let’s take a look at ten miraculous things that water does to keep our bods happy – inside and out.
- It may help out in weight loss
While there’s no super easy ‘get rich quick’ way to shed some kilos, keeping hydrated is actually a pretty good trick. People will often confuse thirst for hunger and have a snack rather than what their body needs – a good ol’ glass of zero calorie H2O.
There has also been some gossip in the science world that water may boost your metabolism and dehydration could slow it down by as much as 3%. Whether or not that’s the case for each person, we do know that drinking water before a meal helps fill you up and lower the possibility of overeating.
- Water keeps our skin looking young
Skin that has been spoiled with plenty of H2O tends to keeps its natural elasticity and remain flexible with daily stress. We aren’t saying that water is the cosmetic secret to hiding smile lines, but it may help fight wrinkles forming early on in life.
It’s hard to put the water-elasticity thought to the test since there are unlimited factors influencing a person’s skin over the years, but we can tell you water reduces the visibility of pores and wrinkles, and that skin is likely to appear less dull when properly hydrated.
- You’ll have stronger nails if you are well hydrated
Are your nails constantly breaking? Brittle nails could be a sign of dehydration. If you want an easy tip to growing stronger nails and healthier cuticles, start using that ultra fab water bottle!
- Water takes the edge off of hangovers
The worst part about a good night out is being out of commission the next day. If you’ve ever had a few too many drinks, you’ve likely woken up with a throbbing headache, dizziness, and a dry mouth. Hello hangover hell! As many of you may already understand, alcohol causes dehydration by increasing your urine production. If you go out and don’t replenish the water leaving your body as urine, you’ll likely wake up feeling miserable. Beat the hangover and save your Sunday by having water with your alcoholic drinks, or overcome the hangover by nursing your body back to health with a water bottle.
- Water helps our kidneys do that detox thing
Last month, we talked about detoxes and how our kidneys are the detox superstars. Kidneys are in charge of moving out waste from our body through urine. Consuming plenty of water aids in our kidneys working smoothly and ditching those ‘toxins’ like a well-oiled machine!
Speaking of kidneys, have you ever had the terrible curse of kidney stones? Rumor has it that they’re worse than childbirth. We doubt anyone is chomping at the bit to test that rumor, so lucky for you, drinking water can even help avoid kidney stones. According to Harvard Medical School, drinking water can help liquefy the substances that would make a stone. Thank goodness!
- Acne can be cleared up by drinking water
Because water helps the kidneys flush toxins from your system, staying hydrated may keep your skin clear of toxins, too! It’s the easiest, cheapest, and healthiest way to get that clear and glowing skin.
- Drinking enough water may prevent constipation
Our stool is made up of heaps of things: fibre, protein, bacteria, salts, and remnants of anything else you may put into your body. But do you know what the biggest ingredient is? You got it – it’s our good friend water. Our poos are roughly 75% H20, but when our bodies are dehydrated and need water to carry out other tasks, it will often sipher that needed water from the developing stool. As you can imagine, that results in waste becoming harder and more difficult (even painful!) to pass.
At Go Against the Flow, we talk a lot about bladder leakage. It seems like drinking a lot of water could turn that ‘LOL’ into an ‘OMG I just peed’, but in this case, it is actually quite the opposite. When you’re constipated, your full and heavy bowel can push into your bladder making your bladder hold less, giving you the urge to pee more often, or even a bit of urge incontinence. Constipation can even cause a lot of stress on your pelvic floor from straining these muscles. And as we’ve preached before, a weak pelvic floor sets you up for a world of leaks and difficulties.
- Water may reduce hair loss
This may be the only time you read a comparison between your lovely lockes and your bowel movements, but much like how hydration helps in constipation, it also helps your hair to stay strong! Water is a major component in the makeup of hair but, as it is a much less vital part of the body, being dehydrated causes your body to pull water from your hair. This results in brittle and weak hair.
- Our moods may be improved by drinking water
A refreshing glass of water can do a lot for a person’s mood. In some cases, dehydration (even just a little bit!) has been shown to have a negative impact on moods. Our brains are made up of 75% water, so keeping that percentage where it should be could improve your mood directly, or it could give you more energy resulting in feeling better overall. Either way, if consuming water is good for your brain, we think it’s worth it.
- Being hydrated keeps you alert
If hydration can give you energy and boost your mood, what other brain functions can it impact? Well, dehydration can impair your motor skills and shorten your attention span. Your #1 control centre requires HEAPS of water, so why not make it your go-to refreshment? Drinking water keeps your insides working properly, your appearance fresh, and your brain sharp!
Now that you’re in the know with these water-induced life hacks, it seems like the only thing left to say is ‘Cheers’!
How do you make it a habit to drink enough water? Have you found that staying hydrated helps your insides or outsides? Get in the comments, we want to hear from you!