Water is an important part of our day-to-day lives, and many people don’t even think about it. We need water to lubricate our joints, eliminate toxins, elevate our mood, aid in weight loss, and keep us regular in the bathroom. In fact, your body weight is made up of mostly water! Here are five reasons you should drink more water.
Water Lubricates Joints
Water is essential for lubricating our joints. Cartilage, a flexible connective tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, contains very little oil and therefore needs adequate hydration from water to work properly. When we don’t drink enough water, our cartilage can become dry and stiff, leading to pain and discomfort in the joints. Drinking enough water can help keep our joints healthy, cushion your spinal cord and tissues.
Water Eliminates Toxins
Water is essential for flushing toxins out of our bodies. Our livers produce bile, a substance that helps us digest food, from cholesterol. Bile is transported through small tubes called bile ducts to the gallbladder, where it is stored until we eat. After we eat, the gallbladder contracts and sends bile through the common bile duct into the small intestine to help digest food. Bile also helps us absorb fat-soluble vitamins from our food. If we don’t drink enough water, this process becomes sluggish and can lead to a build-up of toxins in the liver and other organs. Drinking enough water helps keeps our bodies cleansed and functioning properly.
Water Elevates Mood
Water can also help elevate our mood by preventing dehydration-induced headaches and by regulating body temperature. When we’re dehydrated, our body temperature drops slightly, causing us to feel tired and grumpy. A cold glass of water can help us feel more alert and refreshed. Dehydration can also cause headaches; drinking plenty of water can help relieve headache symptoms.
Water Aids in Weight Loss
Water plays an important role in weight loss by helping to suppress appetite and burn calories. When we’re dehydrated, our body registers thirst as hunger pangs, causing us to eat more than we need. In addition, dehydration slows down our metabolism, making it harder for us to burn calories. Drinking plenty of water helps keep us hydrated which prevents us from overeating and speeds up our metabolism so we can burn more calories throughout the day.
Water Keeps Us Regular in the Bathroom
Water is also essential for regularity in the bathroom. Our bowels rely on adequate hydration from water to function properly; when we don’t drink enough fluids, constipation can result. Drinking plenty of fluids – including water – helps keep things moving smoothly down below and prevents constipation symptoms like straining, pain, and bloating.
There are plenty of other reasons to drink water. I challenge you to track your water intake and see how it impacts your well-being.
-Matt
Inspiration by Tara West: https://hydrationjunkie.com/blogs/blog/5-reasons-to-drink-up-important-hydration-health-facts