We are so fortunate in our society to have free access to drinking water. During initial intake sessions with clients I ask them how much water they drink on a daily basis and the most common answer I get is “not enough!” It surprises me that most of the people I counsel live off coffee/tea either decaf or regular and diet pop (because regular is too high in sugar). Although these substances are liquid in nature, they are dehydrating and in my opinion don’t count in the 8-10 glasses of water per day you should be drinking. Below are 10 reasons why you should be drinking WATER on a daily basis. A good way to measure how well hydrated you are is by the colour of your pee. The colour of your pee should be a pale or even transparent yellow. Happy Drinking!
Top 10 Reasons to Drink Water
- Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue
- Research indicated that drinking 10-12 glasses of water per day can significant reduce up to 80% of joint and muscle pain
- Drinking your daily amount of water can significantly decrease the risk of certain types of cancers, including colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer
- Water helps to maintain a healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and regulating appetite
- Water aids in the digestion process and prevents constipation
- Water can prevent and alleviate headaches
- Water naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance
- Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation
- Water leads to overall greater health by flushing out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease
- 10. A 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with math and difficultly focusing on the computer screen
Tips to add more water in your daily routine:
1. Purchase a 1L or 1000mL (4 cups) BPA free water bottle and commit to drinking the whole thing twice per day 2. Realize that if you are someone who consumes cups of either coffee, pop or other sweetened and caffinated beverages that you will need to reduce that intake prior to increasing your water intake. You can’t drink 2-3 cups of coffee per day, 1 can of pop and 1-2 cups of water and then expect to add an additional 6-8 cups of water. You will spend your day in the bathroom. Cut back on the coffee/pop while increasing water. 3. Put some lemon, orange or cuccumber slices in your water to flavor it 4. Brew your favorite fruit flavored tea turn it into iced tea. Take 4-5 tea bags in 1L of water and let steep for 5-7 minutes. Pour the liquid into a glass container and store in the fridge 5. Hot herbal tea counts as water 6. Keep a large glass of water by your bed and consume before even getting out of bed in the morning 7. Increase your fruit and vegetable intake because that counts for your daily water amount 8. Have a protein shake and use water instead of yoghurt 9. Set an alarm to remind you to drink 10. Create a family/friend/work challenge – track number of cups of water per day and the person who can consume their 8-10 glasses per day for 1month wins a prize