5 Reasons to Drink More Water

We all know we should drink water, yet many of us don’t drink nearly enough (and much of the world is still without clean sources of it). Water is just…water. It’s a relatively flavorless, not as exciting as, say, a pumpkin spice latte.

Well, I’m here to tell you that it can be exciting. Because the results are exciting. It is literally the source of life. More than half of our bodies are composed of the stuff, and if that’s not enough to get you chugging it, maybe one of these will tickle your fancy:

1. Drinking water keeps your skin glowing

No, it won’t erase wrinkles or reverse signs of aging, but it will give your skin a nice healthy glow. Dehydrated skin looks parched and taut. Drinking water keeps it looking its personal best.

2. Drinking water keeps your appetite in check

Oftentimes the sensation of feeling hungry is a sign of dehydration rather than actual hunger. So the next time a sharp craving hits a mere hour after your last meal (we’ve all been there!), reach for a glass of water instead. It might be just what your body was craving. Even if it turns out you are truly hungry, drinking water can help tide you over until your lunch break. It’s a natural appetite suppressant.

3. Drinking water helps with digestion

Again, when you are dehydrated your body pulls water from other sources. Making sure you get enough water from both water-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and the trusty H2O itself will keep things moving in your gastrointestinal tract. I think we’d all agree that less constipation and bloating is a good thing!

4. Drinking water helps you detox

Drinking water is a great way to detox (no crazy cayenne pepper-lemon juice-maple syrup concoction required!) With the current trend of extreme cleanses, you’ll be happy to learn that you have organs that are performing their own detoxes 24/7. Kidneys are truly amazing organs, filtering out toxins from the bloodstream without any extra effort on your part. Tough little guys that they are, they can power through all of the wild parties and sodium-laden takeout your heart desires. What they can’t stomach, however, is too little water. Dehydration makes it very hard for the kidneys to do their job, and the consequences aren’t just internal. If you wake up to a puffy face and dark circles under you eyes, your kidneys might be begging you to replenish their water supply.

5. Drinking water reduces your risk of blood clotting

When you are dehydrated, what does your body do to compensate? It pulls water from other sources, particularly the bloodstream. This thickens the blood and puts you at risk for clotting. This is especially important for those of us who spend all day sitting at a computer (or on an airplane). Drinking enough water, on the other hand, keeps blood flowing naturally.

But these benefits come with good, clean water. Read on for the difference between artificially and naturally alkaline water, and our pic of the best water filtration system:

A few things to keep in mind about water…

1. Drink it at room temperature. It’s much easier for your body to absorb. Try putting some frozen raspberries in a glass carafe (this is the one I use) to flavor the water.

2. Did you know that artificially alkaline waters should actually be AVOIDED as a daily drinking water? Clinical studies have shown these waters can cause damaging side effects. Think of them as the GMO’s of the water world. There is a vast difference between artificially alkaline water (AQUAhydrate, Essentia, and Smart Water) and naturally alkaline water that most consumers are unaware of. Most alkaline waters on the market use ionizers and processes such as electrolysis, or even sodium bicarbonate to artificially create alkaline water from municipal sources. Water companies are stripping water of their naturally alkaline state to re-add in these materials and make it a higher pH when in reality, they are just making the water worse for consumers.

3. Another thing to remember is to always filter your water. Toxins like fluoride, chlorine, pesticides and heavy metals lurk in unfiltered tap water. We recommend this Berkey system with the optional fluoride/arsenic filter add-on. It rates the best in independent tests and isn’t made using plastic.

4. Filter your shower water, too. According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, “Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93 percent higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.” When you take a shower, you breathe in chlorine fumes and absorb it through your skin.

5. Don’t drink water that’s been packaged in plastic. Here’s why. Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel.

So… the bottom line is this: drink water! Drink it first thing in the morning, drink it with every snack and meal, drink it before you reach for that bag of chips! It’s the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to do something good for your body everyday.