We all know that we’re supposed to drink lots of water, but many of us don’t really know why. Trying to drink the prescribed 2-3 litres a day can be a real challenge at times and can leave us feeling more annoyed than invigorated. It’s often difficult to drink that amount and it can leave us needing to pee all the time.
And we don’t really know what difference it’s making!
Without knowing what the benefits of drinking water actually are, it can be hard to stay motivated to drink the recommended amount each day. But once we understand the ways in which water can make us feel happier and healthier, drinking plenty of it stops being so much of a challenge and soon becomes a healthy habit. Read on to get motivated!
Why Our Bodies Need Water
More than half of the human body is made up of water, so we need to drink plenty of it in order to maintain the body’s fluid balance. Fluid carries essential nutrients and oxygen to our cells and our brains, it aids digestion and helps to regulate our temperature. Without enough of it, we not only become dehydrated but our bodies aren’t able to function properly.
Many of us are chronically dehydrated without realising it. Tea, coffee, sugary drinks, alcohol and processed foods all suck water from the body. How do you know if you are dehydrated? Here are some common symptoms:
- tiredness and sluggishness
- foggy brain
- aching joints
- headaches
- irritability
- false hunger
- prickly feeling eyes
- dry skin
- extreme thirst
Cleansing and Detoxifying
By making sure that we drink enough water, our skin looks rejuvenated, our hair glows with a natural shine and we feel vibrant and energised. This is because, as well as rehydrating our cells, promoting healthy skin and a sharper brain, water also has powerful cleansing properties. It helps to rid the body of harmful toxins that make us feel tired, moody and unwell.
This process of daily detoxification through drinking enough water also strengthens our immune systems, and we suddenly find that health problems such as aching joints or bad skin start to improve or, in many cases, disappear entirely.
Eating a Water-Rich Diet
Water can also help us to maintain a natural and healthy weight. Eating water-rich foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, isn’t just a fantastically healthy option, but the high water content also means that we feel fuller for longer.
Cooking fresh fruit and vegetables, even by boiling or steaming, actually leaches water and precious vitamins and minerals from them. For this reason, eating fruit and veg raw is definitely preferable if you want to lose weight and feel re-hydrated.
Tips to Help You Drink More Water
Here are our top tips for helping you to drink more life-giving water…
- Each morning fill up a 2 litre jug or bottle with fresh, clean water. That way you can keep track of how much water you are drinking.
- Sip water throughout the day, rather than gulping it down. Your body can efficiently absorb approximately 1/3 of a glass at a time.
- Every time you feel tired or thirsty, drink water.
- Flavour your water by adding fresh mint leaves or cucumber, lemon or orange slices.
- Drink water at room temperature or slightly warmer, as it is easier for your body to absorb than cold or hot water.
- Increase your body’s ability to absorb water by getting more essential fatty acids through your diet, in the form of ground flaxseeds with your breakfast or a tablespoon of cold-pressed flax or hemp oil each day.
Both refreshing and revitalising, water has the power to make us feel healthier and happier in mind, body and spirit. Give drinking more of it go and see how good you feel!
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