Understanding the benefits of water can help you improve your health, boost energy levels and feel better throughout the day. Good hydration is essential for proper body and brain functioning, but you must consider the type of water you consume. Tap and bottled water can introduce harmful contaminants, so you must use the correct filter for clean, safe drinking water.
Benefits of Drinking Water
Your body is approximately 55 to 60% water, and keeping it hydrated is crucial for various organs and systems to work correctly. Consider the following ways water benefits the body.
Skin Hydration
You may notice the following differences in your skin when you increase your water intake:
- Soft, clear complexion
- Improved or healed rashes
- Symptom improvement if you have a skin condition
- Lustrous appearance
- Wrinkle prevention
While factors such as genetics, smoking and sun exposure can accelerate skin aging, increased water intake can slow it. Collagen is a protein the body uses to support connective tissue and keep it elastic. This resiliency and strength allow your skin to withstand stretching and maintain firmness, and water promotes collagen production inside the body.
Healthy, Consistent Blood Pressure
Your body needs water to regulate your blood pressure. Dehydration can thin your blood and cause low blood pressure, potentially harming internal organs, but staying hydrated daily can prevent this. Water helps your body maintain proper blood consistency so your blood pressure stays within a healthy range. You can also avoid getting dizzy after donating blood by drinking plenty of water beforehand.
Energy
Drinking more water throughout the day can increase your energy levels without the adverse side effects of caffeine, such as energy dips and shakiness. Dehydration may be to blame if you become irritable or experience periods of low energy throughout the day, but increasing your water intake can combat this. Preventing dehydration can make you feel more alert and energized at work, during physical exercise or while playing with your kids.
Proper Digestion
Water is essential to digestion because it helps your body produce saliva and supports intestinal function. We need saliva to properly break food down during consumption, and our stomachs need water for proper food waste movement. Water dilutes stomach acid to move food waste through the intestinal tract easily and prevent gastric complications such as the following:
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Stomach ulcers
Weight Maintenance
Water is much better for you than beverages with high sugar and calorie concentrations. Increasing your water intake can help you feel full, stimulate your metabolism and avert cravings to manage a healthy weight. Consider replacing sodas, juices and sports drinks with water to decrease your sugar intake and stay on track with a balanced diet.
Body Temperature Control
Your body cools and regulates its temperature through sweat evaporation during exercise or heat exposure. Your skin’s middle layers typically hold water, which rises to your skin’s surface when you sweat. When dehydrated, your body holds more heat because it has inadequate water to evaporate and cool itself. By drinking plenty of water, your body can maintain its temperature and reduce physical strain.
Improved Kidney Function
Kidneys require adequate water for proper functioning. The kidneys filter fluids, regulate fluid levels and maintain the body’s electrolyte balances. When you drink enough water, your kidneys have the hydration they need to flush waste products and dissolve nutrients and minerals. Accumulated minerals and nutrients can eventually produce kidney stones and force vital organs to work harder than they usually would.
Joint Lubrication
Joints depend on water for lubrication, and drinking enough water prevents friction and pain when you move. Cartilage surrounds and protects your joints and spine discs, acting as natural shock absorbers. Cartilage is approximately 80% water, so staying hydrated can help you maintain comfortable, easy mobility.
Nutrient Absorption
Since water helps your body dissolve vitamins and minerals, it’s essential for nutrient absorption. When you drink plenty of water throughout the day, your body can absorb the necessary nutrients for optimal health and effective functioning.
Brain Function
Water supports brain functions such as focus, reasoning and short-term memory. Water supplies fluid that cushions the spinal cord and brain, preventing injury. It also helps your brain maintain proper hormone levels and neurotransmitters for clear thinking.
Drinking Water for Health
While increasing your water intake is an excellent way to improve your health, doing so correcty is also essential. Consider the following tips to optimize your health with water.
Consume the Correct Amount
The National Academy of Medicine recommends adults drink approximately 72 to 104 ounces of water daily, but the right number for you depends on various factors. For example, you may require fewer ounces of water if you have a lower-than-average body weight, but you should increase your water intake when you have a fever, engage in physical activity or find yourself in a hot environment.
The amount of water you need can vary daily, so try to determine the ideal number of ounces based on how you feel when you drink more or less water. You should increase your water intake if you notice any of the following signs of dehydration:
- Darker urine
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Dry or chapped skin
- Thirst
- Muscle cramps
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Low blood pressure
Filter Your Water
Water quality is another vital part of maintaining good health. Tap water often contains harmful contaminants, such as chemicals and metals, that can cause cancer. Plastic bottles also present potential health risks because they can leach microplastics into your water.
Filtering with an effective reverse osmosis purification system provides your household with clean, healthy drinking water. This system uses advanced filtration methods to remove more contaminants than other filters, protecting you from the following types of toxins and impurities:
- Arsenic
- Lead
- Chlorine
- Bacteria
- Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances
- Nitrates
- Iron
- Acidity
- Fluoride
- Sulfur
Improve Your Drinking Water Quality With EcoWater Systems
EcoWater offers treatment solutions to provide your home with clean, great-tasting water that improves your health. Whether your home has hard water, bacterial contamination or problem water containing harmful metals and chemicals, we can help. Our water treatment services and purification systems help you increase your water consumption with peace of mind. With one of our home drinking water systems, you can stay hydrated with great-tasting, refreshing water. Contact us to learn more about our water treatment solutions or schedule a free water test.
