Our bodies need water every day. For each adult our bodies are composed of at least 60% water. As a baby, our body is composed of 70% water. Water is very essential to the function of every single cell in your body. For this reason, drinking water is a very important daily practice to ensure we are our healthiest and most vital. Our daily water loss is at least 2 liters of water a day for women and 3 liters a day for men. We lose this water in daily body functions such as sweating, defecating (having bowel movements), urinating and even in exhalation, or each time we let go of a breath from our lungs.
The number one benefit of drinking water is the balance of body fluids.
In order to maintain a good “balance of water” in our body, we need to take in at least 2 liters a day for women and 3 liters a day for men. There is a tiny organ at the base of your brain called the hypothalamus that aides your body to regulate body temperature, sleep as well as your appetite. Although it is a tiny organ, it is a very sensitive organ. This particular gland has special sensors that help to monitor the concentration of sodium in our blood stream. Depending on the concentration of sodium in your body, there is a hormone called ADH or anti-diuretic hormone that is secreted by the hypothalamus gland. This hormone acts in your kidney tubules at the site of your kidney to prevent water loss. This is very important because ADH acts at the site of your kidney to say, “let’s hold on to this water” and not excrete too much water with urination if your blood sodium concentration is too high, which could indicate dehydration.
The second benefit of drinking water is proper hydration.
When someone is well hydrated, one of the tall-tell signs is having soft and glowing skin. As mentioned above, every cell in your body needs adequate water to properly function. Researchers have suggested that certain patients are more vulnerable to certain skin disorders and premature wrinkling when they are not properly hydrated. Now some may have challenges with skin due to genetics and other environmental factors, which they may not be able to change and may need the help of a dermatologist. However, one thing everyone can do, to be sure we don’t contribute to any skin challenges and that we aide in any skin treatment regimen is being sure we are properly hydrated.
The second sign of proper hydration deals with your gastrointestinal system. Water helps to flush body wastes and toxins, through both feces and urine. Signs of someone who does not have proper hydration could include someone that has repetitive problems with constipation. In fact, the number one risk factor for constipation is inappropriate hydration. In addition, dehydrated persons may have more acid build up in their stomach than they would like to have, causing symptoms of heartburn, reflux or stomach ulcers.
Third sign of dehydration is improper brain function. Water helps to cushion the brain and spinal cord. If you are not properly hydrated, there are cells in your brain called neurons that may not communicate as well if you do not have proper water balance. This can present itself as symptoms such as difficulty thinking and reasoning. The third benefit of drinking water is beneficial in weight loss in some and weight maintenance in others. If you drink water instead of sweetened drinks, alcoholic drinks and juices, there is less caloric intake, taking a stride toward helping with weight loss if done on a consistent basis. If you replace your usual drinks at lunch and dinner with water, you will note a difference in how you feel typically within a few weeks.
In addition, you can try to pre-load with water before each meal. This can aide in preventing you from overeating. Your thirst center and hunger center are neighbors in your brain. They send signals to your body to say “I am hungry or I am thirsty”. So sometimes your brain may send a signal saying you are hungry and you are really thirsty. Drinking water helps to decrease that thirst signal in the brain to help you avoid overeating.
If you know you are not drinking enough water daily, I challenge you to the one week water challenge. Commit to drinking 2 liters of water daily for women and 3 liters of water daily for men for one week. Keep yourself on task and honest about your challenge and make a recheck in one week to determine what small changes you see in yourself and more notably how you feel. This will give you the confidence in your own “water balance” to continue for the best of your overall health and to you being one of the “Lively Ones.” You will not be disappointed and may discover a love of water you never knew.
