Three Reasons to Drink Plenty of Water

7/22/2019

As we enjoy these precious dog days of summer it is important to stay hydrated. Our bodies are up to 70 percent water – even our bones are nearly half water. We need water to regulate body temperature, to provide a “highway” for nutrients to travel to all of our organs, to transport oxygen, remove waste, and protect or joints and organs.

And here are some added benefits to hydration:

Benefit your brain. Hydration is huge when it comes to headaches. In a pilot study in the European Journal of Neurology, people with migraines who consumed about six cups of water daily experienced a significant decline in headache duration and intensity. A lot of us reach for ibuprofen or acetaminophen for a headache. But when dehydration is the cause for our pain, what we really need is the water that we use to wash that pain medication down with.

Studies have also shown that poor hydration leads to increased tiredness, reduced alertness and impaired short-term memory. Even mild dehydration – just one or two percent dehydrated – has shown to impair cognitive performance like the ability to perform mental tests and requiring thinking.

Better skin. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of tired and dry skin. Water acts as a natural moisturizer and it is a lot cheaper than ointments and lotions. Not only does water work to flush out toxins, but adequate hydration makes it possible for water to move through all the membranes of your body so that the largest organ in the body – the skin –is adequately hydrated. Skin texture softens. The natural aging process is slowed. Wrinkles vanish. Sagging skin tightens.

Reduce risk for disease. Drinking plenty of water not only helps us in digestion but proper hydration is the prescription for preventing a number of conditions and diseases. Generous hydration reduces the risks for colon and bladder cancer. Frequent fluids reduce the risk of kidney stones by flushing out the bladder. And drinking plenty of water also helps reduce the risk of bladder infections. Even more dramatic, those who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from fatal coronary heart disease events.

If you do not have a primary care provider in the area, visit: LaPortePhysicianNetwork.com

This is a public service announcement by Starke Hospital.

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