Do you feel sleepy or tired? Are you less active than usual? Do you have a dry, sticky mouth? Headache? Dizziness? If so, chances are you need to drink more water.
When you don’t drink enough water your system literally dries out which can lead to the symptoms above. Even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism and you don’t want that, especially with the busy holidays approaching.
I know it’s getting cold outside and you may not feel as “thirsty” as you do during the summer, but your body still needs water. If anything, do it for your metabolism!
1. Burn More Calories
A study found that drinking 17 oz. of water increases metabolic rate by 30% in both men and women. The increase in metabolic rate happened within 10 min after drinking the water and reached a maximum 30–40 min after water drinking. The effect lasted for more than an hour.
2. Feed Your Vital Organs
Your brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery–31%.
3. Fuel Your Metabolism
The carbohydrates and protein your body uses as fuel are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream. Without water your metabolism would certainly suffer.
4. Cleanse Your Colon
Don’t overlook the importance of water’s ability to transport waste material out of our bodies. An active metabolism is absolutely necessary for food to move through your intestines and to expel the excess matter and toxins from your body.
For additional intestinal support, choose high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Why? Their fiber content will assist with the intestinal cleansing process AND they have a high water content. Eating veggies and fruits with a high water content helps keep your body hydrated without the "blah." Pack them in your lunch, snack throughout the day - and have fun mixing it up.
5. Support Your Energy Levels
The human body is made up of over 70% water. It is medically proven that just a 5% drop in body fluids will cause a 25-30% loss of energy in the average person.
Obviously drinking water is important, and not just any water, but CLEAN water. If you want to know more about the tap water coming out of your faucet, the Environmenal Working Group has a Tap Water Database that will give you all the details about your water. The Environmental Working Group also has a water filter buying guide if you decide your tap water should be cleaner. Along with filtering your water, another way to reduce the toxins in your water is to avoid drinking water from plastic containers. Instead, use a re-fillable glass or stainless steel bottle.
Drinking water is one of the only ways to cleanse your body so drink up!
In Health and Happiness,
Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods
