What Are the Wonders of Water?

1. Helps with weight loss: Water improves metabolism and keeps you energized. It also makes you feel full and prevents frequent hunger pangs.
2. Boosts mood and energy: Hydration has a major effect on our energy levels, improving blood circulation and transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
3. Lowers stress levels: About 70%-80% of brain tissue is made up of water. Dehydration can cause both mind and body to feel stressed.
4. Builds muscle tone: Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramping and lubricates joints. When you are well hydrated, you can also exercise for longer.
5. Nourishes the skin: Hydrated skin looks plumper and helps prevent fine wrinkles. It also flushes out impurities and improves circulation, making skin glow.
6. Aids in digestion: Drinking enough water prevents constipation, aiding gut health and helping the digestive tract make the most out of the fiber in our foods.
7. Promotes kidney health: Dehydration increases the risk of kidney stones, which form when salts and minerals in urine form into solid crystals. Water helps dilute and flush out excess salts and minerals from the body.

So how much water do you need to drink on a daily basis? The amount varies from person to person, depending on body type, body weight, activity levels, diet, and other health factors. Everyone has different needs. 

In general, however, nutritionists suggest that:

• Women should drink about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluids a day. However, recent studies have shown that women may go up to 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day.
• Men should drink about 13 cups (3 liters) of fluids a day. However, recent studies have shown that men may go up to 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 16 ounces of water before exercising, 4-8 ounces during exercise, and another 16 ounces after exercise. This does not include the daily recommended amount of water.

The easiest way to manage your water consumption is to stick with the recommended daily amount and add more water whenever you feel thirsty. About 20% of your daily intake of water already comes from the food you eat, so it’s important to focus on the remaining 80%.

If you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), drinking water is a great natural remedy:

• Drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day helps flush out any harmful bacteria that may be present in the urinary bladder.
• Although a UTI makes it hurt to pee, drinking lots of water and peeing frequently will eventually make peeing less painful and help speed up  your recovery. 
• If your UTI is relatively mild, chances are it will be cleared within a day or two of water therapy.