Drinking more water can benefit you more than just keeping you from dehydrating. These days, we are flooding our bodies with saturated fats, sugar, acidic foods, alcohol and other substances that may be bad for us. Water has the ability to boost your overall health in a plethora of ways – if you would give it the chance.
Fill you up
Drinking one or two glasses of water before and during your meal will help fill you up, and might keep you from reaching for that second helping.
In place of
Vowing to drink at least two to three litres of water a day, will most likely result in drinking less sodas and sugary drinks.
Benefits your oral health
Fluoride in water has benefits to the teeth. If you are a smoker or you tend to eat and drink things that stain your teeth, frequently drinking water can help to limit the amount of product left in your mouth.
Detox
Drinking enough water will help to flush your lymph nodes, kidneys and other organs to excrete toxins.
Gut and skin
Drinking a lot of water will not only help you flush out things that are bad for you, but also keep you from having them in the first place, as mentioned in ‘fill you up’ and ‘in place of’. This means that your gut’s natural microbiome is healthier, and overall, you are living ‘cleaner’. Drinking enough water will also keep you regular and prevent constipation. This can be very beneficial to your skin as well, for those who are prone to breakouts. A well hydrated skin is also less likely to overproduce oils.
Weight
In the grand scheme of not only increasing your water intake but decreasing your overall intake of food and sugary drinks, this may help you to lose some weight in the process.
Some studies show that drinking water may increase your metabolism temporarily.
Medical issues
Many people experience headaches, kidney stones and chronic urinary tract infections. Although they are not necessarily dehydrated, an excess of sugar or caffeine can cause headaches. The bladder is a breeding ground for bacteria, and flushing your system with water may help prevent UTI’s and keep your kidneys healthy.
Drinking enough water will also help to thin out mucus, should you suffer from sinus or respiratory infections.
As water forms 60%+ of the body, dehydration can lead to thickening of the blood and elevated blood pressure. Drinking more water can help prevent this.
Ways to drink more water
- Drink one glass of water every hour, or hour and a half from when you wake up, until two hours before bed time
- Drink two glasses of water, five to six times a day
- Keep a water bottle and set a goal of refilling it at least twice every day
- Drink a glass or two after every trip to the bathroom
- Add some flavour – drop a few pieces of cucumber, watermelon, lemon, strawberries, apple, berries or mint leaves in your water jug
- If you feel a craving for a sugary drink or coffee, drink a glass of water first
How much is enough?
- It is important to know that every 'body' is different, but a good rule of thumb is a glass of water (250ml) for every 10kg’s that you weigh
- If you are particularly active, or it is very hot, you can increase this amount by 1.5 to 2 times
- Drink as much as possible, but if you feel ‘full’ don’t force it
- Stop drinking fluids about two hours before bed time so you do not have to get up in the middle of the night
- If you are drinking more water than usual and you feel any sort of cramping in your muscles, you might want to supplement your mineral intake as well. An increase of water intake may dilute your mineral / electrolytes
- Mopani Pharmacy has a variety of water bottles and mineral supplements available
We can deliver your medication, supplements, fragrances and other Mopani online shopping, nationwide. More info: mopani.co.za | crossing@mopani.co.za | Tel: 013 755 5500 | WhatsApp: 066-192-1703
