Although the actual daily quantity of water needed per day per person is still discussed, keeping hydrated throughout your day is essential in regards to your general health and more.
Take it from this point of view: our body is composed of 60% of water (80% for babies) and we are constantly losing fluids in so many different ways:
- Through our skin via sweat AND evaporation
- Breathing
- Passing water
- Digesting
- Maintaining your general homeostasis
As our dear French Scientist Antoine Lavoisier used to say:
‘Rien ne se perd, rien ne se créé, tout se transforme’
‘Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed’
Right, but if your body water is transformed into urine, stools or sweat or used to digest it must be replaced, or your body will find other ways to keep itself hydrated. But you don’t really want to go down that road as you would end up suffering from: head-aches, brain fogginess, poor digestion, low blow pressure, shortness of breath, dry skin, brittle hair, urinary tract infection, muscle cramp… And a lot more! Who wants that really?
Maintaining your body hydrated will help:
- Your general body fluids homeostasis
Your body fluids are involved in digestion, absorption, circulation, production of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. If you are dehydrated, via a complex mechanism involving blood pressure, your brain will be alerted and will send informations to your kidneys in order to regulate the water in or out your body. It will also makes you feel thirsty in the case of dehydration. Isn’t it amazing?
2. Your muscles metabolism:
Your cells in your body need water and electrolytes to function well. Even more so your muscle cells, especially during physical activity. If you have poor hydration and lack of electrolytes your cells will start to collapse and be less efficient, eventually resulting in muscle fatigue and cramps. In some extreme cases, muscle tissue even starts to burn from over tiredness and dehydration. Not very pretty.
- The look and texture of your skin:
Acting as our main protective barrier from the outside environment and preventing excess fluid loss our skin is constantly challenged, pulled, exposed, burned etc. Keeping well hydrated will improve the aspect of your skin, and dampen your wrinkles.
- Losing weight:
Well actually… Water does not, and never had, make people losing weight. However, being hydrated and eating food rich in water such as cucumber, cauliflower, melon etc will take more volume in your stomach hence will help you feeling fuller and will help easing your appetite.
People that are used to drink sugary drinks throughout their days and swapped them with water will categorically lose weight. Because guess what: water counts 0 Kcal and 0 g of sugar when a can of coke (330 mL) held 140 Kcal and 39g of sugar.
- Your kidneys and excretion of toxins
As mentioned earlier, your body fluids will help in nutrient transportation as well as in waste product. The toxins in your body are mostly water-soluble and hence able to be excreted in the urine thanks to your kidneys.
When you are well hydrated urine flows easily, and your kidneys function normally. However if lacking enough fluids, this will put more stress on your kidneys as they will try to reabsorb as much water as they can, making urine with a strong smell and darker colour.
- Your digestion and bowel function:
Water has a significant role in our digestive system starting from saliva to lubrication when passing bowel. When you are dehydrated your colon will reabsorb water from their content, resulting in constipation. Same goes for passing water, the less hydrated the more irritated it will be, leaving you prone to irritation and cystitis.
What do we need to take from that?
Water is part of you and your health, your body needs it, your body uses it, your body runs on it. You can survive 3 WEEKS without food but only 3 DAYS without water. Coincidence? I don’t think so!
So here are some tips to make sure you keep hydrated throughout your day:
- Drink a large glass of water when you wake up in the morning
- Carry your bottle of water with you
- If you feel thirsty, think about drinking water before junking on sugary fizzy drinks
- Eat your water, watery food such as: Cucumber, Lettuce, Celery, Radishes, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Cauliflower, Watermelon, Spinach, Strawberries, Broccoli, Grapefruit, Apricots, Cherries, Grapes, and Zucchini.
You will feel better, digest better, sleep better, manage your weight and diet better and feel clearer in your head! So what are you waiting for?
