11 Ways H2O can Enhance your Well-Being
A very well-known Italian artist and scientist named Leonardo Da Vinci once proclaimed “Water is the driving force of all nature”. Not only is this statement scientifically proven when it comes to the beautiful nature all around us, but water is also the driving force of our bodies. Making up approximately 65% of the human body, water isn’t only for quenching our thirst, but this essential element also plays a vital role in maintaining the proper function of the body’s organs and cells. Without water, humans and all vegetation and life forms would quickly succumb to dehydration. Even without a sufficient amount of water, humans would deteriorate quickly and become much more susceptible to diseases. So what does this entail would happen if we consumed even more of this essential element that our body so desperately needs? It would have a major positive impact on our health. Water is the surreptitious answer to so many health problems and once you learn how the body uses water, it will make perfect sense why keeping the body hydrated can greatly improve overall health. Here are 11 ways H2O can enhance your well-being:
Bone Health
Water protects and lubricates the body’s spinal cord and joints. Water helps prevent arthritis, alleviate joint pain, and relieve muscle cramps. Dehydration, on the other hand, can cause hypersensitivity, muscle contractions, and loss of muscle strength. Dehydration wears and tears on joints because without adequate water and new cell formation, the cartilage in joints will rub against one another and weaken.
Sound mind
The brain receives approximately 20% of the body’s blood supply and is composed of 75% water. Staying hydrated helps this sensitive organ retain optimum levels of moisture. Dehydration drastically affects the brain and can cause brain fog, headaches, and even depress the mood through histamine. Dehydration causes dizziness and is one of the main causes of headaches. Headaches from dehydration can range from mild to as severe as migraines. When the body is dehydrated, the brain temporarily shrinks in size due to fluid loss, pulling away from the skull and causing an uncomfortable headache. This process reverses as you rehydrate.
Respiratory Health
It sounds strange that water would have anything to do with the body’s respiratory system, but it most certainly does. The body’s lungs are made up of 80% water. Water keeps mucous membranes in the respiratory tract moist as a natural barrier to protect the lungs. On a cold Winter day, have you ever noticed your breath being visible outside? This is actually many micro water droplets coming from your mouth and being humidified into the air. This is something that happens with each and every breath you take daily, whether you see it or not, and this is one way we lose water from our body and why we must continuously replenish. Just as water is exhaled from the bodies into the air, water vapor is also inhaled from the air. Any moisture you breathe in, such as the high amount you breathe in while you shower, should be clean and free of toxins and chemicals in order to avoid respiratory troubles.
Energy
The first sign of dehydration is fatigue. Staying hydrated will help keep you energized. Loss of water causes a drop in blood volume in the brain. This makes the heart work much harder in order to send oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, skin and brain through the bloodstream. Thus, your heart rate drops and you feel much more lethargic.
Healthy hair
Each strand of hair is made up of ¼ water. When you’re dehydrated, your hair will become weak and brittle. Since water helps remove toxins from your body, it’s believed that not drinking a sufficient amount of water also plays a major role in hair loss. Both staying hydrated and not exposing your hair to damaging chemicals in water (harsh chemicals in traditional tap water strips away the natural oils in your skin and hair) will keep your hair looking and feeling luxurious.
Weight Loss
When you don’t drink enough water, your body holds onto every last drop you have in attempt to prevent severe dehydration and in return, the water retention will cause temporary weight gain. When you drink plenty of water, the first several pounds you shed is actually water weight. Water also helps with food cravings. Studies have shown the brain often confuses thirst for hunger, so sometimes when you think you’re hungry, try skipping the snack cabinet and grab a bottle of water instead, because the hunger you’re feeling could actually be your body’s cry for water.
Healthy Digestion
The first step of the digestion process is saliva. The water in your body produces the mouth’s saliva, which is what helps start the process of breaking food down. Water can keep you from getting constipated by softening stools and helping to dissolve nutrients so they can pass into your bloodstream and through your intestinal tract much easier.
Removes Toxins
Water removes toxins from the body’s organs, preventing and even treating kidney and bladder problems. Along with removing toxins, water also helps store nutrients to build health and immunity. Dehydration is often the culprit of kidney stones, Uremia and Gallstones.
Lowers Blood Pressure & Blood Sugar
Staying hydrated lowers the risk of diabetes. Dehydration is very closely linked to high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. One of the first symptoms of diabetes is frequent urination and excessive thirst. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is also common in people who are chronically dehydrated.
Balances Cholesterol
Staying hydrated balances your Cholesterol. When you’re lacking sufficient fluids, dehydration causes a process that drains a higher amount of liquid from inside the cells and the body attempts to stop this by producing more Cholesterol.
Improves Skin Health
Skin contains 64% water so it’s vital the skin gets sufficient fluids. Insufficient fluids can cause reduced skin elasticity and premature aging. When skin is dehydrated, it also produces excess oil to make up for the water lost and this can cause breakouts. It’s just as important to make sure the water you shower with is purified of any harmful chemicals, as clean water helps combat premature aging and alleviates many skin conditions, such as eczema, that are commonly worsened by the drying chemicals commonly found in tap water.