The importance of Drinking Water

2/3 of your body weight is water. Water helps keep your muscles and skin toned, assists in weight loss, transports oxygen and nutrients to cells, eliminates toxins and wastes from the body, and regulates body temperature. Drinking refreshing, clean water plays a major role in reducing the risk of certain diseases. For better health, drink at least 8 glasses of clean water a day!

Water: the most neglected nutrient in your diet, but one of the most vital.

 

Human survival is dependent on water. The average adult body is 55 to 75 percent water. Because our bodies are mostly water, water figures heavily in how our bodies function.

 

Aside from helping digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and removes toxins and other wastes.

 

Water also cushions joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from shock and damage. Conversely, lack of water (dehydration) can be the cause of many ailments.

 

 

According to Whitney and Hamilton’s Nutrition, soft water (water with the minerals removed) appears to contribute to a higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease in areas where it is used.

 

Hard water (water with the minerals left in) may oppose these conditions.

 

According to an article in Good Housekeeping, nutritionists have determined that the amount of minerals in your tap water can make a significant difference to your health. The article cited a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that drinking “hard” water may actually reduce your risk of heart disease.

 

Water plays a major part in weight loss. Because water contains no calories, it can serve as an appetite suppressant and helps the body metabolize stored fat. It may possibly be one of the most significant factors in weight loss.

 

 

Also, drinking more water helps to reduce water retention by stimulating the kidneys. Studies recommend that if you are overweight, you should add one glass of water to your daily requirement for every 25 pounds over your recommended weight.

“Fun” Water Facts

Seventy-five percent of Westerners are chronically dehydrated. This probably also applies to half of the world population.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80 percent of sufferers.

A mere 2 percent drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.