How much water do you drink daily? Is it eight or more glasses? Drinking a healthy amount of water will boost your energy and keep your body functioning at its peak. Even the slightest dehydration can affect your ability to exercise, focus, and perform your everyday activities. Your body is about 70 percent water, so every cell and tissue needs this fluid to survive.
The Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Whether you want to lose weight, prevent disease, or have greater energy, it’s essential to make sure that your body gets enough water. This vital fluid regulates your bodily functions, such as breathing, digestion, blood circulation, and nutrient absorption. It also helps flush out toxins, keeps your digestive system running smoothly, and maintains your electrolyte levels.
Thirst is the first sign of dehydration. If your body is low on fluids, you may experience poor digestion, heartburn, difficulty concentrating, and headaches. In the long run, dehydration can lead to premature aging, chronic fatigue, and weight gain.
The more active you are, the higher your water intake should be. To prevent dehydration, start your day with a big glass of water. Keep a bottle at hand at all times. For weight loss, drink water before each meal. This way, you’ll feel less hungry and consume fewer calories.
What Kind of Water Should You Drink?
Tap water is convenient and easily accessible. Unfortunately, it boasts high levels of arsenic, fluoride, aluminum, disinfection byproducts, and other harmful compounds. These chemicals put you at risk for cancer, allergies, liver disease, and skin disorders. Bottled water isn’t safer either. About 40 percent of the brands on store shelves are actually bottled tap water.
According to health experts, alkaline water and filtered tap water are the best choice. Alkaline water may help prevent cancer and restore your body’s pH levels. However, it’s not recommended to use long term because it may reduce the stomach acid needed to break down food. Filtered tap water is safe and economical. All you need is a quality filter that has the ability to remove fluoride and heavy metals.
