Surprising Benefits of Drinking Water...(losing weight is one of them)

I had a session with a client last week and she was complaining about having a terrible headaches, including a bad one that day.

I asked a serious of questions, obviously trying to rule out serious issues, then I simply asked, “How much water did you drink today?” She hesitated, and then sheepishly responded, “I think I only had 2 glasses and 2 cups of coffee.”

It was 4pm, so I double checked, “Are you sure you only had 2 glasses of water?”” Yes” she said as she rubbed her temples, “I was so busy I didn’t even think about it”.

Water impacts every system, organ, and cell in your body. Hence health experts, recommend drinking ½ our body weight in water. So, for example, a 140 lb. person would need 70 oz of water per day.

Yet according to the USDA, Americans drink an average of 3.9 glasses of water a day…..that is less than ½ of what is recommended for most individuals.

And coffee is a diuretic, so it doesn’t count, On the contrary, we need extra water to make up for what is lost with caffeinated drinks.

As it turns out, my client’s average water intake was 4-5 glasses a day and with last week’s heat wave, it’s no wonder she was suffering,

Sure enough, once she increased her water intake, the headaches went away.

Often, we mistake our various symptoms like headaches, muscle cramps, and overall lack of energy on the lack of food, when really it is a chronic lack of hydration.

Besides helping headaches what else does that “clear liquid gold” do?. Read here to find out. Hint….losing weight is one of them!

• Lose weight- Water increases the feelings of satiation. In a study of more than 18,300 American adults, people who drank just 1 percent more water a day ate fewer calories and less saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol.                                                                                                            There are also some new studies that show a connection between water intake and lipolysis…. the process of burning body fat. Drinking less water, lowered lipolysis. When hydration was increased, fat burn increased too.
• Healthy skin- As the largest organ of the body, the skin is particularly susceptible to dehydration. But proper amounts of water can increase blood flow and improve the tone of the skin. It also increases elasticity to stave off early onset of sagging, wrinkles, and fine line.
• Critical for digestive function- Water is fundamental in moving wastes out of the body through urine and feces. Too little water causes constipation and build up in your intestines. Water also helps break down your food and improves the absorption of nutrients into your body.
• Brain Function- Your brain consists of 75% water and replenishing it is necessary to maintain focus, memory, and learning. Lack of water can create that foggy brain feeling, lower reasoning and decision-making abilities and of course, cause headaches.
• Reduces allergies and asthma – Interestingly, the body will close off airways to prevent dehydration. That restriction particularly in your nose and throat can increase the symptoms of asthma and allergies.
• Boosts your energy- Blood is comprised of 90% water so when you are dehydrated your blood volume and blood pressure decreases. Blood also helps transport oxygen and nutrients to all your cells. If this process is working at a lower capacity, the result will be fatigue. Notice if you have water when you first wake up, you suddenly feel more energized.
• Alleviates Back Pain- The inner part of the discs that helps “cushion” each vertebra in our spine, consists mostly of water. Throughout the day, much of that water is squeezed out but at night it is replenished. If there isn’t adequate rehydration of the discs, they can be severely compromised causing, inflammation, back pain, and even disc herniations.

So if you are realizing that perhaps you need more water and it would help you lose weight, increase your energy and better your health. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Drink a full glass of water when you first wake up and before every meal. Add lemon for an extra splash of freshness
2. Carry a large water bottle EVERYWHERE you go. My experience is the bigger the bottle, the more water I drink and the more I carry it, the more I am incentivized to finish it and lighten my load.
3. Replace sugary and caffeinated drinks with water.
4. Measure how much you drink- another good reason for the bottle….it helps you keep track.
5. For extra flavor add cucumbers, oranges, lemons, limes, strawberries, or fresh mint. It looks pretty and makes you feel like you went to a spa.

Go out hydrate and SHINE!