Water and Health
/The saying goes correctly here that we don’t value what we have in abundance and is free of cost. And one big example is of water. Mother earth has given us water in abundance.
How many of us drink water in the required portion, may be just a handful. Doubtless if the body is well hydrated then one deals with much lesser health issues.
First lets check if we are dehydrated or not. Thirst is not a fool proof sign of dehydration as the weather and activity level can interfere, so if you are not thirsty ,does not mean that you are not dehydrated and don’t require water. Some signs of dehydration are fatigue; headache, mood swings and severe dehydration can cause mental confusion. Researches say that dehydrated people score low in reasoning tests and have difficulty in concentration.
In fact dehydration sometimes sends body wrong signals of hunger and in response body gets more prone to sugar cravings. On the other hand staying well hydrated sends the body signals of feeling full, as the satiety level is influenced by the stomach. Drinking water can curb the appetite.
Dehydrated body can cause dry mouth; means there is less saliva production. Saliva keeps the mouth naturally fresh by rinsing away odor causing bacteria and food particles, where as dry mouth from dehydration lets debris built up in the mouth surface contributing to foul smell. So next time your mouth smells, can be due to less intake of water. To avoid bad breath, keep sipping water through out the day, keep snacking on hydrated fruits.
Dehydration plays an important role in the quality of skin. Due to less moisture the skin can get flakey, dull, can have fine lines and dark spots. Even if one has an oily skin, that does not mean it is healthy. In fact then the skin is prone to breakouts. As the oil glands try to make up for the lack of moisture. Keep the skin glowing by drinking a large glass of water before consuming tea & coffee. Avoid long hot showers which dry the skin further. Dehydration is also associated to headaches. Low blood pressure means less blood and less oxygen carried to brain cells. The vessels in the brain widen to try to increase the flow, this triggers the headache, drinking enough water may prevent headache.
A good way to judge whether we are well hydrated. Check the urine. If the urine is pale yellow, means you are well hydrated, if it gets more yellow means you need to drink more water. Dark yellow to orange urine indicates severe dehydration.
The ideal advice is to drink eight glasses of water per day. Though many a times the amount of water needed by the body depends on health, activity levels, 2.2 liters of water i.e. nine glasses keeps a healthy adult well hydrated.
So the trick to drink more water. If you force yourself to drink more water even for a week, you will start felling the change in your body like more energy, less confusion, better physical activity, a feel good factor. These signs are self encouraging. Many times water helps your muscle contract, lubricates the joints and makes it easier for the brain to process information. People who drink more water consume less calories, salt, fat and sugar.
Use tricks to keep yourself motivated to drink water. Match a glass of water to every cup of tea or coffee. Even if its soda or sparkling water, try to increase your intake.
On a funny note play a drinking game with yourself means drink water whenever you check social media. Keep your water bottle visible through out the day, sip while watching TV.
Old people and young children have weak thirst response. They should learn to be proactive. Keep colorful favorite cartoon glasses for children.
Another good trick would be squeeze few lemons adding leaves of mint, some cumin seeds. Add water n run in a blender. Freeze in cubes. Every time you drink water and you feel tasteless, add a cube and drink, so you also get additional antioxidant with every glass.
Making a jar of thin butter milk and drinking it through out the day adds up to the liquid intake of the body. Eat water rich fruits and vegetables like cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, watermelon, and carrots. After a work out, cool down with cucumber and watermelon slices. Eating these whole foods can replace the vitamins, amino acids and water loss from the cells. Crush mix fresh fruits in a jar and keep in the fridge to make whole days healthy drink, this way the sugary drinks can be avoided.
Live a healthy life, along with a glowing skin and a healthy mind and body with a free of cost measure, drink water often.
