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Water!!!!
I know when you hear the word water the first thing that doesn’t come to mind is pure excitement. Trust me, I get it and I understand. For a very, very long time I struggled to get anywhere from 1-3 glasses of water into my system a day. This wasn’t because I didn’t necessarily like water, it was because in my household we always had pop, cool aid, or juice of some kind. Yes, there was faucet water but if you’re giving a 10 year-old a choice between sugary drinks and water…
Well I think you can relate to the outcome.
It wasn’t until 10 years ago when I started to get more serious about fueling my body with more water and less sugary drinks. I brought my very first water bottle and vowed to carry it with me everywhere that I went. So that’s exactly what I did. Having my water bottle with me all the time reminded and encouraged me to drink water. I know it may seem weird and ineffective, but I promise you it is really effective. It’s a mind game that you learn to play with yourself and somehow the only way to win the game is to drink all the water inside the bottle.
My 10 year journey of fueling my body with more water during the day by no means was an easy one. Of course there were many days when I had setbacks, big and small, but there were also many days when I was able to commit to drinking roughly 8 glasses, sometimes more, of water a day. All the ups and downs that I’ve had with increasing my water intake has taught me one very important thing…
Water is essential to our health.
We don’t take the necessary time to understand the many health benefits that drinking water can have for our health. Part of this is out of the pure habit of not drinking enough water throughout the day. Another part of this is due to people simply not caring (and sometimes not knowing) about health benefits of drinking water. I get it, when you’re young and you’re not facing any serious health problems, increasing your water intake is not your highest priority. Even as we move into older age we don’t really make drinking more water a health goal of ours and this because of the habit we have created not to.
Well times are changing and that means your daily water intake should too! If you want to know some of the many health benefits of drinking water, check out the list below!
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1. Clear skin
I never need a reason to not try something if it’s guaranteed to give me clear skin. Though pimples are not really a problem for me, I’m not the best at taking good care of my skin. So that’s why I make sure to drink plenty of water during the day. Water intake is the cheapest and easiest way to get clear skin fast! Drinking water helps your body release toxins, improve your natural complexion, and can even help you achieve a natural radiant glow. Most importantly, when we drink water we are hydrating our skin and body from the inside out. So if you struggle with dry skin, especially as the weather changes, increasing your water intake can solve that problem immediately!
I always try to drink at the very least 8 glasses of water a day. I challenge you to do the same. You can download and print this free daily water intake tracker here. Just simply color in the number of glasses of water that you have had for the day. This will help you visually see how much water you are fueling your body with during the day, and where you can always strive to drink more.
2. Increases brain power
Drinking water can increase your brain power. This includes an increase in reaction time, memory, and concentration. If you’re someone who gets headaches on the regular, chances are you are dehydrated. If you find that you have a hard time concentrating on literally anything and everything, you may need to increase your water intake. Memory is probably the most noticeable signs that you may need to drink more water. If you find that you have a hard time remembering things, even if it just happened 5 minutes ago, don’t be quick to jump to your age (it’s not always your age). You may be dehydrated, which could be increasing your stress levels, which also affects your memory.
The best way to solve this problem is by drinking more water during the day. This will help you relieve yourself of headaches, improve your concentration, and keep your memory from slipping away. Investing in a water bottle that has roughly 24oz is a good place to start with keeping track of your daily water intake. 1 cup of water = 8oz. So if you do the math for every 8oz of water you drink, that’s a cup of water you are putting into your body. A 24oz water bottle comes out to 3 cups of water in just one go! Rinse and repeat and you will reach your water intake goals in no time!
3. It’s a natural energy booster
I don’t know about you but I know that whenever I am hydrating my body properly I feel like I have a ton of energy. I always know when I need to drink more water because my body and my mind become sluggish. Completing the simplest of tasks become hard to do, I find that there is an increase in my laziness, and all I want to do all day is sleep. If you too notice these kinds of behaviors in yourself on a regular basis, don’t ignore your body. This is your body’s way of telling you that it needs more water so that it can provide you the energy you need to get through the day.
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4. Helps with weight management & weight loss
Believe it or not this will be one of the easiest way to lose weight or maintain your weight. Yes, there’s a lot more that goes into weight loss and management, such as eating right and exercising, but water is the key ingredient. When you drink water you help yourself feel fuller. Which then encourages you to eat less, avoid over eating, and can even assist in increasing your metabolism. Drinking a full glass of water 30 minutes to an hour before every meal will also help with your digestive system, and help you manage your cravings between meals.
5. Helps your body digest everything & maintain regularity
If you are someone who struggles with um…you know, going…then increasing your water intake is a must! Drinking water helps you avoid constipation, dissolve waste particles, and allows them to pass through your digestive tract smoothly. While water can and does help with digestion, eating foods that contain water in them can assist with this as well. Foods like natural whole foods, fruits, and vegetables are all great examples. The best way to ensure that your body is getting enough water for the day, if you’re not yet an avid water drinker, is by incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
There are plenty of cookbooks that will guide you in eating clean, delicious foods while ensuring that you are getting a decent amount of water intake with every meal. This book is filled with Whole30 meals that will help you in adopting a healthy lifestyle. The best part is that all the recipes in this book are super easy to make and you won’t be spending a ton of time in the kitchen making them!
I’ve heard nothing but great reviews about this book! I personally have not yet made the decision to dive into this book, but I know a few people who have and are pleased with the results. The Plant Paradox reveals all the hidden dangers that are hidden inside of our foods, and shows us how to eat clean whole foods. Lectins are a highly toxic and common plant-based protein, and they can be found in gluten-free foods, fruits, and vegetables. This book will teach you simple hacks that will help you avoid them and improve your healthy diet.
6. Helps regulate your body temperature
Believe it or not our body releases water anytime we sweat, digest something, and even when we breathe! In order to keep our bodies hydrated we have to refuel ourselves constantly. The best way to do this is by drinking water. We know that water cools our bodies, and we know that we sweat when our bodies heat up. When sweat evaporates that is our body’s way of cooling itself. When we deprive ourselves of water, especially on hot days, we are encouraging our bodies to store in all the heat that is building up. This often times leads to experiencing headaches, muscle pain, sluggish energy, and even feeling tired all the time. Avoid this by drinking more water.
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These are just a few of the many health benefits drinking water can do for you. I know that water isn’t the most exciting thing to drink in the world, trust me even I get bored with drinking water from time to time too. The trick to ensuring that you are drinking a decent amount of water throughout the day is to switch it up! That’s why I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite water recipes for you all to have access to.
To see the list just simply sign up for my free Live Well Health and Wellness email course. In this course you will learn:
- What wellness is
- How to practice it
- The many different ways to practice wellness
- And get access to all my favorite health and wellness related practices, including delicious water recipes that are sure to put some excitement in your water!
What are your thoughts? Do you know of any other ways drinking water can be good for your health? If so share them with me in the comments below! Here’s to good health and plenty of water!
See you soon love bug!
-Xo
Kimora
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It’s good to know that drinking water can help you increase your metabolism and avoid over-eating. I currently only drink about 32 oz of water per day, but I want to work my way up to 64 oz per day. I hope that achieving this goal can help me feel healthier and have more energy overall.
Hi Liz. Yes, there are just so many health benefits to drinking water that I think a lot of people are just not aware of. Slow and steady wins the race. Something you can do is invest in a water bottle that is around 64oz and just drink as much as you can out of it. This not only sets the tone for your intention, but it will also challenge you to drink the whole bottle. Of you can use a water tracker to help you keep track of how much water you are drinking in a day and eventually watch that 32oz turn into 64oz a day. I believe that achieving this goal will help you feel healthier and give you a tons more energy! I’m here to help and support you along the way if you need it. Good luck!