Scientifically speaking, water is the basis of life, but beyond being
essential to your very existence, water serves all sorts of purposes
that help you feel your absolute best. No, it can't cure cancer (though
it may help prevent it), pay your rent (though it does save you money),
or take out the trash, here are six reasons H2O can help solve many
annoying day-to-day health issues-and possibly prevent a few big
ones-from headaches to those last few pounds.
Myth 1: Drinking water between meals is bad for digestion – This
is one line that has been passed down from generation to generation.
However, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that it will affect
the digestive process. At the most, it will probably fill you up and
reduce your appetite for dinner. But besides that, go ahead and enjoy a
glass of water with every meal.
Myth 2: Drink 8 glasses a day for good health – Drinking 8
glasses of water a day is one of the most popular myths in circulation
today, despite scientists saying that there is no clear correlation
between good health and sipping on water all day. Doctors recommend
drinking water only when you are thirsty!
Myth 3: Drink water, you can never have too much of a good thing!
– Recent studies reveal that drinking too much water can in fact, be
potentially harmful. Excessive water consumption is dangerous in that
it can lower salt concentration in the body. Water intoxication, a
life-threatening condition, occurs when there is dilution of blood
sodium because the kidneys are over-worked, and unable to excrete the
excess water as urine.
Myth 4: Water cleans out the body’s toxins – The toxins in our
body are filtered out by the kidneys. And common myth says that drinking
more water means clearing out the toxins. Wrong! In truth, drinking
large amounts of water will actually reduce the kidneys’ ability to
function as a filter
Myth 5: Drink water for healthy skin – It is widely believed that
since our body’s composition is 60% water, drinking a lot of water will
give you glowing skin. However, there is little evidence to support
this idea. Healthy skin is a result of many things, including diet,
weather, pollution and genetics.
Myth 6: Drinking water can aid weight loss – Water has been
touted as the secret drug for all dieters. “Drink water and you’ll shed
those pounds like magic.” This is hardly true; as we discussed, water
will, at the most, fill up your stomach and reduce your food intake at
mealtimes. But water is far from a miracle drug to lose weight.
Myth 7: Drink as much water as you can during a workout – It is
widely believed that a workout increases chances of dehydration, so
common myth says you need to increase water intake during exercise. But
dehydration sets in only when you lose 2 percent of body weight. Do the
math, and it is unlikely a normal workout requires increased water
intake. Instead, ensure you are well-hydrated throughout the day,
without over-doing it.
1. Water boosts metabolism:
Trying
to lose weight? Drinking water can boost your body's ability to burn
fat. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism found that drinking water (about 17oz) increases metabolic
rate by 30 percent in healthy men and women. The boost occurred within
10 minutes but reached a maximum 30-40 minutes after drinking.
2. Studies also suggest that drinking one or two glasses of water before
a meal can fill you up so you naturally eat less, says Andrea N.
Giancoli, MPH, RD spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics. Plus, even mild dehydration will slow down metabolism by as
much as 3 percent. 2. It safeguards your heart: Speaking of essential
for life…drinking a good amount of water could lower your risk of a
heart attack. A six-year study published in the American Journal of
Epidemiology found that people who drank more than five glasses of water
a day were 41 percent less likely to die from a heart attack during the
study period than those who drank less than two glasses. Bonus:
Drinking all that water may reduce cancer risk as well. Research shows
that staying hydrated can reduce risk of colon cancer by 45 percent,
bladder cancer by 50 percent, and possibly reduce breast cancer risk
too.
3. Water prevents headaches: The most debilitating kind as
well: Migraines. In one study published in the journal Neurology,
scientists recruited migraine sufferers and divided them into two
groups: one took a placebo, the others were told to drink 1.5 liters of
water (about six cups) in addition to their usual daily intake. At the
end of two weeks, the water group had experienced 21 fewer hours of pain
than those in the placebo group, as well as a decrease in pain
intensity.
4. Water boosts your brainpower: Your brain needs a
lot of oxygen to function at optimum levels, so drinking plenty of water
ensures that it's getting all it needs. In fact, drinking eight to 10
cups of water per day can improve your levels of cognitive performance
by as much as 30 percent.
The door swings both ways: Research shows
that a dehydration level of just 1 percent of your body weight reduces
thinking functions, so staying well-hydrated is super important for your
mental performance .
5. It makes you rich: Making water your
go-to drink saves a lot of money in the long run. Even though 60 percent
of the U.S. population buys bottled water , it's still cheaper, on
average, than juices, sodas, and Starbucks- especially when you buy it
by the case. What's even cheaper: buying a filter and drinking water out
of the tap. To put it in perspective, replacing your daily can of soda
at lunch with a free-from-the-tap glass of water (or water cooler if you
have access to one) can save you about $180 a year.
6. It keeps
you alert: Dehydration is the single most common cause of daytime
fatigue , so if your afternoon slump is more like a desperate need for
an afternoon nap, guzzle a glass of water. It can also make you better
at your job, or at least prevent you from being bad at a it-just a two
percent dehydration level can trigger short-term memory problems and
difficulty focusing on a computer screen or printed page.
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