Why Water Is So Important to Your Health and 5 Easy Ways To Drink More!

Written by Sue Brown

First of all, let’s consider that our bodies are made up of between 55 -75 percent water and every organ and system in our body requires water to do its job. Adequate water intake is certainly key to daily health. When we don’t consume enough water everything slows down.

What does dehydration really look like?

Common symptoms of inadequate water intake and dehydration include:

• low energy and fatigue

• low blood pressure

• poor concentration

• headaches

• mood swings

• constipation

• weakness

• poor memory and retention

• Thirst (the LAST symptom of dehydration)

Interestingly, these symptoms are similar to symptoms of many other conditions that have underlying nutrient deficiencies. So when we consider the role that water plays in the digestion of the foods we eat, we can further understand how critical it is to our health. Our digestive process requires water for nutrient absorption and assimilation. We also need water to assist our digestive system to eliminate the waste that is not beneficial to the functioning of our body. The liver and kidneys are responsible for filtering and flushing the body of toxins, water aids in this process. Inadequate water intake puts a strain on both of these systems which could in turn slow down other critical functions such as controlling blood glucose, metabolizing hormones, production of bile which helps the break down fat, the circulation of toxins in the blood stream and compromising your immune system. I think you get what I’m saying here: WATER IS KEY FOR ALL BODY FUNCTIONS. 

How much water should I drink? 

This is an important question because it varies for everyone. The general rule of thumb for water consumption is to drink half your weight in ounces. So if you are 120 pounds, you should drink 60 ounces of water or 1.77 litres of water.  Other factors to consider are activity level, age, diet, and your consumption of alcohol, coffee and other drinks.

 5 ways easy ways to drink more water:

1. Track it - use a water bottle or a glass and figure out how many of those you need to drink in a day. Keep track with a marker, elastics or with a list on your phone.

2. Add lemon for an extra boost - A squeeze of lemon may make your water easier to drink, it supports the liver and helps stimulate the digestive juices in your gut.

3. Add a pinch of himalayan salt - This helps with the absorption of water.

4. Add fresh fruit to your water or drink herbal teas hot or cold 

5. Use a water bottle you don’t mind carrying around and make it a habit to take with you everywhere you go.

Can you drink too much water? Yes, but this is rare.  Generally, most of us don’t drink enough. But if you're curious, drinking too much water can create an electrolyte imbalance in the body. Which is basically having too much water in the blood in relation to sodium. Too much water particularly before eating can also impact the digestive process by diluting the stomach’s digestive juices. This in turn impacts how quickly and efficiently food in our stomach is broken down and can lead to inefficient nutrient absorption and assimilation and symptoms such as bloating, reflux, cramping, and gas.

So drinking water is one of those things we can do that doesn’t impact the bank account but has a huge return on our health. Try to be mindful about the amount you're drinking each day and you will feel the difference! If your wondering what your optimal is, work with a health practitioner to help you determine what’s right for you.