Americans seem to be carrying bottled water everywhere they go these days. In fact, it has become the second most popular drink (after soft drinks). But water enthusiasts were recently shocked to hear that a new report found that the benefits of drinking water may be oversold. Apparently, the old suggestion of drinking eight cups a day is just a guideline and not based on scientific evidence.
But don’t put down your water bottle or glass yet. You may not need eight glasses, but there are many reasons to drink water. In fact, drinking water (plain water or in the form of other liquids or food) is essential for health.
„Think of water as the nutrients your body needs, found in liquids, plain water, and food. All of these are essential every day to replace the large amounts of water you lose each day,“ says Beverage Company. says Joan Colemay, registered dietitian. Institute, an industry organization.
Dr. Stephen Guest, a nephrologist at Kaiser Permanente, agrees that „fluid loss occurs continuously; skin These are losses through evaporation, breathing, urine and faeces, and these losses need to be replaced every day for good health,” he says.
If your water intake doesn’t match your output, you can become dehydrated. Fluid loss is more pronounced in warm climates, during strenuous exercise, at high altitudes, and in older adults who have a decreased sense of thirst.
Here are six reasons why you should make sure to drink enough water and other fluids every day.
1. Drinking water helps maintain body fluid balance. Your body is made up of approximately 60% water. The functions of these body fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, and production of substances. salivatransportation of nutrients, maintenance of body temperature.
“Through the posterior pituitary gland, your brain communicate with you kidney It then tells us how much water to excrete as urine or keep in reserve,” says Guest, who is also an adjunct professor of medicine at Stanford University.
When there is a lack of water, brain Triggers the body’s thirst mechanism. And unless you are taking medicine When you’re thirsty, guests say you should listen to the cues and drink something other than alcohol, like water, juice, milk, or coffee.
„Alcohol interferes with brain It inhibits communication with the kidneys, causing excessive excretion of body fluids, which can lead to symptoms such as: dehydration” he says.
2. Water helps control calories. For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn’t have a magical effect on weight loss, drinking water instead of high-calorie drinks can certainly help.
„Weight loss is best achieved by choosing water or non-caloric drinks over calorie-containing drinks, or containing more water-rich foods that are healthier, satiating, and help keep calorie intake in check. It’s about eating food,“ Penn said. State Researcher Dr. Barbara Rawls, Author. of volumetric weight control plan.
Foods with a high water content tend to look larger, require more chewing due to their larger volume, and are absorbed more slowly by the body, making you feel fuller. Water-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, stock-based soups, oatmeal, and beans.
3. Water helps energize muscles. Cells that can no longer maintain body fluid balance, Electrolytes May cause wrinkles and muscle contraction Malaise. „If your muscle cells don’t have enough water, they won’t function as well and your performance can suffer,“ says Guest.
When is it important to drink enough water? Exercise. Follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for fluid intake before and during physical activity. These guidelines recommend drinking approximately 17 ounces of fluid approximately 2 hours before exercise. They recommend starting hydrated early during exercise and drinking fluids regularly to replenish fluids lost through exercise. sweating.
Four. Water helps keep your skin beautiful. The skin contains a lot of water and acts as a protective barrier to prevent excessive water loss.But please don’t have too high expectationshydration erase Wrinkle „It’s fine lines,“ says Atlanta dermatologist Kenneth Ellner, MD.
”dehydration The skin becomes drier and looks more wrinkled, which can be remedied with proper hydration. ” he says. kidney Removes and drains excess body fluids. ”
You can also use moisturizers to „lock“ moisture into your skin. Humectants create a physical barrier to retain moisture.
Five. water helps kidneys. Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste product that passes through the kidneys and is excreted in the urine, Guest explains. „As long as your water intake is adequate, your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and removing toxins from your body,“ he says.
If you are drinking enough water, your urine will flow easily, be light in color, and have no odor. When the body does not have enough water, the concentration, color, and odor of urine increases as the kidneys capture excess water for the body’s functions.
Guest warns that chronically drinking too little alcohol can increase your risk of kidney stones, especially in warmer climates.
6. Water helps maintain normal functioning of the intestines. Adequate hydration maintains flow along the gastrointestinal tract, constipation. If you don’t have enough water, colon It draws water from your stool to keep you hydrated. the result, constipation.
„Adequate water and fiber are the perfect combination, because water acts like a broom that draws up fiber and keeps your intestines functioning properly,“ says Colemay.
If you think you need to drink more water, here are some tips to increase your fluid intake and reap the benefits of water.
- Enjoy a drink with every snack or meal.
- Choose your favorite drink. If you like the taste, you’ll likely drink more liquid.
- eat more fruits and vegetables. The high water content further increases hydration. Approximately 20% of our water intake comes from food.
- Keep a bottle of water in your car, on your desk, and in your bag.
- Choose the drink that suits your individual needs. If you’re concerned about calories, choose non-caloric drinks or water.