7 Reasons Why Water is Important for Our Health

Water is a hot commodity these days, with water shortages and droughts across the globe and a never ending need for the substance. Water sustains all life on our planet including you, and it is necessary for most biological functions to be carried out. In fact we wouldn't be here without water.As humans we couldn’t even survive more than three hours in a harsh environment without it. Additionally our health is completely dependent on water, and can be drastically improved by the proper use of it. Water supports and maintains various functions that our well being is contingent upon, but it can also improve upon your overall wellness. Interested yet? Read on for 7 reasons why water is important for our health.

1.) Health

Health is important! We constantly consume water. In fact our bodies are largely made up of water , around 60%, and it is essential for all our biological functions and therefore incredibly important to life. Throughout the day we constantly use water and we lose it too. As we sweat, cry, and even talk we are giving off precious water which needs to be replenished. Water is key to our survival, but additionally drinking the recommended amount of water daily can improve on your overall health. Though the recommended amount of water you should drink on a daily basis is different for everybody! But this hydration calculator can help you determine how much water is the right amount for you. Staying hydrated will help with temperature regulation of the body, keep your joints lubricated, protect sensitive tissues in the body, and water plays a vital role in the body’s waste removal system. All of the toxins that build up in our body throughout the day, from food waste to cell and bacterial waste needs to be taken out of our bodies. This process is carried out by water; think urination. Water also maintains the delicate balance in each of our cells, keeping everything working smoothly. Thats right; drinking an appropriate amount of water can make you feel good, and will maintain a balanced and well lubricated body.

2.) Hygiene

Yes, hygiene. The spread of diseases and germs in general is something that we constantly battle, as the negative effects of this battle are immense. Over our entire history we as humans have prevailed in this battle by developing new and complex technology to fight off viruses and bacteria. However none of these advances protect us on a daily bases, and often are not preventative. The way in which we protect ourselves on a daily bases is called hygiene, and the main component of said hygiene is water. We wash our hands regularly throughout the day to rid ourselves of germs, we use water to aid in the process of brushing our teeth, we shower every morning to wash our bodies and our hair, and we use water to mop our floors. Water is the backbone of cleanliness, and without it the world would be a very different place; a different and dirty place.

3.) Weight Loss

Those dreaded words! Many of us battle on a day to day basis with maintaining a healthy weight for our body type, and often times we turn to diet and exercise to pull us through. This approach often aids in losing weight as well as keeping it off and has become quite popular. But there is something you can do to aid in this process even more; drink water. That’s right, when coupled with a diet drinking water has been proven to aid in weight loss! When you make the decision to switch out a sugary drink for this fat-free, carb-free, sugar-free beverage you end up saving yourself from any added weight that comes along with drinking a soda. Additionally when you drink water you are less likely to eat as much food, making your diet easier, and lowering the amount of fat that you put on.

4.) Skin Clear skin.

Washing your face with water and facial cleansers is very important when fighting off greasy skin and acne, but water plays an even bigger role in the appearance of your skin. Studies show that drinking the appropriate amount of water on a daily basis can improve the condition and health of your skin. This means maintaining a radiant, clear completion by just drinking water. Your skin is made up of a whole bunch of skin cells and like all other cells in your body these ones need water to function properly. Each individual cell benefits from staying hydrated. When the cells in your body lack the proper amount of water they can shrivel up, or even burst! So maintaining a healthy level of hydration will help your skin cells retain their shape and make your skin look bright and healthy.

5.)Ice

Ice, ice baby! Not only is ice totally awesome but it has some major health benefits too that liquid water can't always maintain. Think about this; you are playing a sport out of water, and you haven't been hydrating much that day so your joints aren't as lubricated as they could be. The ball comes your way, and you do the only thing that you can do and you jump towards it, but in the process you sprain your ankle. What do you do? Ice it! Water itself can certainly help with preventative measures on the field but when we do get injured we turn to ice to cool down the area and keep it from getting worse. Ice reduces the negative effects of inflammation and swelling, because the temperature of the ice will effectively limit the amount swelling, which can potentially cause damage. But remember, only ice an area for 20 minutes at a time to keep from damaging the area further; ice is very powerful.

6.) Warm Water Therapy Therapy?

Both water in its liquid state and its frozen state have proven to aid us in maintaining a healthy body, but what about warm water? Go ahead and jump in the hot tub. Warm water has been proven to aid in a number of health issues including joint pain, muscle pain, and a myriad other aches and pains. This is the case for a number of reasons specific to water. When soaking in water the anti-gravity effect that it has takes the pressure off of your joints, and the warm temperature increases blood flow. But remember don’t go too hot! Hot water can end up damaging your body more than help it, so keep your bath in the upper 90’s and don’t go any higher. But enjoy that hot tub! It’s good for you.

7.) Improves on Exam Grades

We’ve all done it; taken exams and stressed out about them, possibly days prior. And though studying is still immensely important to getting a good grade water has also been proven to play a role in the outcomes of student’s exam scores. But what can water do to improve on exam scores? Just the act of bringing water to an exam has produced higher scores because a large amount of our blocks are psychological. Bringing this refreshing substance with you into the exam room can help to make you feel more prepared and alleviate some anxiety. Of course drinking it does have a physical effect that aids in test taking as well. Preserving a healthy level of hydration is key for brain function, and actively drinking water helps with the thinking process. So next time you take an exam remember to bring your awesome sidekick.