Ah, the humble glass of water. You know it’s the best thing when you’re thirsty. You know you need it when you’re exercising. But how important is water to your everyday routine? Very.
Smooth Moves
In your body, water helps keeps things…flowing. It breaks up and dissipates waste particles and gives them a smooth ride through your digestive tract. When you drink plenty of water, you’re helping to prevent constipation. Don’t drink enough and your body will start absorbing any water it can find, thus making bowel movements dry and difficult to pass. Constipation may be a sign that you’re not getting enough water.
Water also thins and dissipates the minerals in urine that contribute to kidney stones. It’s been said that the recent increase in kidney stones, especially among children, may be linked to lack of proper hydration.
Bottom line (pardon the pun!): stay hydrated to stay comfortable!
Blood & Guts
Water plays a lot of important parts in your body.
- Since your body is more than half water (about 60 percent), keeping up your water intake helps sustain its balance.
- Water helps your blood transport oxygen to your cells.
- Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramping, which can be caused by dehydration.
- Even when you’re not exercising or in hot weather (but especially when you are), water helps regulate your body temperature.
- Water cushions and lubricates your joints and protects your spinal cord.
Why Get Thirsty?
Unless you’re in dire straits, there’s really no excuse for letting yourself get dehydrated.
Once you start to feel thirsty, dehydration has already begun. That’s why it’s important to drink water regularly, not just when you feel thirst.
Ways to get more water into your routine:
- Make it a point to enjoy a glass of water first thing in the morning.
- Keep bottled water with you wherever you go.
- If you work at a desk or station, have a bottle of water handy at all times.
- Drink water before and/or during every meal.
- When dining out, ask for water instead of ordering a beverage. This will also save you a little money!
- Add cucumber, lemon, or watermelon to your filtered water for a touch of flavor.
- Drink a glass of water for every beer, cocktail, or glass of wine you drink during a social event or night out.
- Download an app that reminds you to drink water.
- If you’re using a bottleless cooler at your home or office, get your own personal water bottle that you like the look and feel of and decant water into it for drinking.
- Make an intake goal (a set number of ounces, bottles, or glasses) and stick to it.
- See if water will curb your snacking: drink water before you give in to a craving. Sometimes when you’re hungry, your body really just needs water.
- If you normally consume a lot of juice and soda, try replacing it with water.
- Try drinking your water with a straw—it causes you to take bigger sips and therefore drink more water faster.
- Use filtered water to make decaffeinated herbal tea.
Getting enough water is critical for your body! And it’s easy. You can make it even easier with water delivery services from Endless Waters. But no matter how you do it, you’ll reap the benefits in good health.
Please note: this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. See your doctor if you have questions about water and health.
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