Reasons to Drink More Water
Scientifically
speaking, water is the basis of life, but beyond being essential to your very
existence, water serves all sorts of purposes that help you feel your absolute
best. No, it can't cure cancer (though it may help prevent it), pay your rent
(though it does save you money), or take out the trash, here are six reasons
H2O can help solve many annoying day-to-day health issues-and possibly prevent
a few big ones-from headaches to those last few pounds.
1. Water boosts metabolism:
Trying
to lose weight? Drinking water can boost your body's ability to burn fat. A
study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found
that drinking water (about 17oz) increases metabolic rate by 30 percent in
healthy men and women. The boost occurred within 10 minutes but reached a
maximum 30-40 minutes after drinking.
2. Studies also suggest
that drinking one or two glasses of water before a meal can fill you up so you
naturally eat less, says Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD spokesperson for The
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Plus, even mild dehydration will slow down
metabolism by as much as 3 percent. 2. It safeguards your heart: Speaking of
essential for life…drinking a good amount of water could lower your risk of a
heart attack. A six-year study published in the American Journal of
Epidemiology found that people who drank more than five glasses of water a day
were 41 percent less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period
than those who drank less than two glasses. Bonus: Drinking all that water may
reduce cancer risk as well. Research shows that staying hydrated can reduce
risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, bladder cancer by 50 percent, and possibly
reduce breast cancer risk too.
3. Water prevents
headaches: The most debilitating kind as well: Migraines. In one study
published in the journal Neurology, scientists recruited migraine sufferers and
divided them into two groups: one took a placebo, the others were told to drink
1.5 liters of water (about six cups) in addition to their usual daily intake.
At the end of two weeks, the water group had experienced 21 fewer hours of pain
than those in the placebo group, as well as a decrease in pain intensity.
4. Water boosts your brainpower: Your brain needs a lot of oxygen to function
at optimum levels, so drinking plenty of water ensures that it's getting all it
needs. In fact, drinking eight to 10 cups of water per day can improve your
levels of cognitive performance by as much as 30 percent.The door swings both
ways: Research shows that a dehydration level of just 1 percent of your body
weight reduces thinking functions, so staying well-hydrated is super important
for your mental performance .
5. It makes you rich:
Making water your go-to drink saves a lot of money in the long run. Even though
60 percent of the U.S. population buys bottled water , it's still cheaper, on
average, than juices, sodas, and Starbucks- especially when you buy it by the
case. What's even cheaper: buying a filter and drinking water out of the tap.
To put it in perspective, replacing your daily can of soda at lunch with a
free-from-the-tap glass of water (or water cooler if you have access to one)
can save you about $180 a year.
6. It keeps you alert:
Dehydration is the single most common cause of daytime fatigue , so if your
afternoon slump is more like a desperate need for an afternoon nap, guzzle a
glass of water. It can also make you better at your job, or at least prevent
you from being bad at a it-just a two percent dehydration level can trigger
short-term memory problems and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or
printed page.
by Elizabeth Goodman Artis | SHAPE
magazine | Healthy Living
Thanks to: Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment
