4 Critical Health Benefits of Water

How often do you drink water?

Probably not enough. Drinking water can actually have some amazing benefits to your body and overall health - and not nearly enough people are aware of this!

We all (should) know that our bodies are about 60% water, but did you know that about 90% of our brain is water? Neither did I. And in order to keep our bodies functioning properly, we really need to keep our bodies (and minds) properly watered.

And just for context, most people forget, or don't realize, that if you're feeling thirsty, you're already at least a little dehydrated - so don't go by that signal from your body to wait to start drinking that good ol' water.

Manage Weight

Did you know that drinking enough water will actually help you maintain (or even lose) weight? There are a few ways that water helps your weight loss.

Weight Loss. It was actually found in a recent study that those who drank 2 glasses of water before a meal lost 5 more pounds (on average) over a 12 week span than those who did not. This is in part because drinking water kickstarts your metabolism before the meal.

If you drink ice cold water, also, that can increase your weight loss. Why? Because your body burns more energy to warm the water up to your internal temperature. (Which is also why you shouldn't drink cold drinks in the summer if you're looking to stay cool).

Lemon water. If you aren't a big fan of the usually-bland tasting water, add a little bit of lemon. Some also swear by a mixture of lemon water and honey to reduce weight, as well.

Energy Boost

Yes, water will actually boost your energy - you don't need caffeine or energy drinks to do that.

Remember how I said that your brain is about 90% water? Well, doesn't it make sense that if you don't drink enough water your thoughts get a little sluggish? On top of that, dehydration in and of itself makes you feel fatigued. Enough water is necessary for focus and an attentive brain because of the pivotal role that water plays in getting blood to transport oxygen throughout your body.

Stress Relief

It serves to follow that when your aren't focusing or getting the work done that you need to be getting done, you're probably going to be a little stressed - and the fact that most likely you're tired does not add up to one happy camper.

Stress can also be brought on by headaches - and oftentimes you'll find that the root cause of your headache is dehydration.

Keeping stress down at work means that you should keep a glass of water at your desk (and constantly drink) and carry one with you when you're going out somewhere.

Glowing Skin

This is more a beauty benefit than a health benefit - actually, scratch that. Water helps nourish the skin and keep it healthy, which means that your first line of defense against germs and bacteria is healthy and well maintained.

Superficially, though, water plumps up your skin cells - which can make you look younger. Water can also improve blood flow and circulation to your skin cells.

So while having healthy skin makes a great first impression, healthy skin also keeps you more...well, healthy.

But you need to drink enough water for this resource to actually benefit! How much water should you drink daily? You can go by that old rule of 8 by 8 - that is, 8 glasses of 8 oz of water daily.

Mary Richardson thinks that everyone should have access to clean water and the necessary filtration systems in order to reap the full benefits of water. What healthy habits do you keep daily?