Love It Or Hate It, Here Is Why You Should Drink It…

These are my top 7 reasons to drink water…

We all know it is important it is to stay hydrated. But do you really know why this is? A common concept is ‘because we are made up of 70% water’. Which is true but that doesn’t really explain why it is so important to be hydrated (she says whilst grabbing a glass of water and drinking it down). By the end of this article I hope that you will understand why you need to keep your body hydrated and how important this is every single day.

We need to remain hydrated with water because:

  1. Our hearts need water to pump blood around our blood vessels.
  2. Our lungs need water to enable them to breathe.
  3. Our brains need water to tell us to put one foot in front of the other.
  4. Our liver needs water to purify the blood.
  5. Our eyes need water to enable us to see.
  6. Our muscles need water to stretch and contract properly enabling us to move around.
  7. Our stomach and bowels need water to function effectively, extracting nutrients and pushing energy around the body

When we are not properly hydrated the body sucks all the moisture out of the bowels to utilise elsewhere in the body.  Perhaps somewhere it deems more important like ensuring that our heart is able to beat or our lungs are able to breathe. There are of course many many many more reasons than this to drink water and stay hydrates however these are hopefully going to inspire you to grab a glass. And drink it!

The reason water is essential is that the bowel is the first part of the body to become dehydrated.  Our bodies need water to survive each and every single day. Around 2 litres each day, depending on our weight x height and our energy expenditure levels.  If you aim for 2 litres it should be about right.

When the digestive system becomes dehydrated it ceases to function. What happens is:

  • Our salivary glands are unable to start breaking down the food as it passes down our esophagus.
  • Our stomach spasms and bloats as it is unable to do the job of breaking down the food even further.
  • Our pancreas and small intestine are unable to produce the correct enzymes to break down the food and extract the nutrients.
  • Our colon isn’t able to pass waste through it properly, leading to cramps, pain, constipation and/or diarrhoea.

Our digestive system starts to shut down and is unable to do its job of digesting food properly 

This often leaves us suffering with malnutrition as the sole purpose of the digestive system is to extract nutrients from food and excrete the waste. If we chose to remain dehydrated we are in effect, exacerbating our own symptoms and deciding to stay unhealthy and our bodies will eventually welcome in illnesses…

Here are some common excuses I hear on a regular basis to not drink water.

“Water makes me feel bloated.” This sounds like you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It is unlikely to be the water causing your bloating but drinking water on an already inflamed and irritated gut can feel uncomfortable.

“I don’t like the taste of water.” Water doesn’t or shouldn’t taste of anything. If your tap water is really chemical tasting then get a water filter jug or install a water filter tap, or even treat yourself to a water distiller. I have recently bought one of these and they are amazing! If you still don’t like the taste there may be other issues going on with your health.

“If I drink all that water I’ll need the loo every five minutes and my boss wont be pleased.”  Your boss would rather you were healthy enough to come to work. Stop using this excuse.

“But I just don’t like water, it’s boring! I’d rather have a cup of tea / squash / fizzy drink.” None of these count towards your water intake unless it is natural organic herbal non-caffeinated tea you are drinking. Anything with sugar, fake sugar, sugar free sugar, fruit sugar, sweeteners does not count either as this stresses your body in more ways than it helps and also contributes towards Diabetes. Just drink plain water.

“I don’t have time to drink so much water. I’m really busy.” When your body shuts down and you get really ill from remaining in a dehydrated state you will wish you had made the time to drink your 8 glasses of water each day. 

No-one really loves drinking water but all the healthy people do it anyway!

Still not into it?

Don’t worry I have put together some easy tips to get you drinking more gorgeous, clear water and loving it!

7 Simple Ways To Stay Hydrated

  1. Bottled water is OK, however, please be aware of your environment and don’t create un-necessary plastic waste.
  2. Tap water is a complete ‘no-no’ right now as it is so toxic and getting worse. Investing in a water distiller is the best thing I have done all year. No more headaches and confidently enjoying pure clear, fresh water…
  3. Adding fruit and steeping water overnight can make it more interesting. Having sparkling mineral water can make a nice change too.  Try adding citrus fruits, cucumber and mint or even strawberry and basil for a fresh taste.
  4. Drinks a glass of water without fail first thing in the morning and last thing at night. This kick starts your metabolism and prepares your body for the ‘Repair and Protect’ mode that it goes into each night.
  5. Have 3 glasses of water in between EACH cup of tea / coffee / other caffeinated drink. This will ensure that the dehydrating diuretic properties of the caffeine is undone by consuming enough water to rehydrate you and keep you going. You will probably find you go to the toilet less the less tea and coffee you drink as the caffeine will make you pass water more quickly.
  6. When your urine is really pale yellow and almost clear, you are consuming enough water. The darker your pee, the more dehydrated you are and the more pressure you are putting on your whole body, including your kidneys.
  7. Always carry a small bottle of water with you and never re-use plastic water bottles as these are only intended for single use and the plastics can leach into tap water once refilled. Not great for the environment so invest in your own water bottle if you are worried about plastic waste.

Go on, go grab a glass of refreshing, pure, filtered water and start feeling hydrated!