5 Reasons Why You Should be Drinking Water Every Day!

Many of us take the fact that we need to drink water every day for granted; however, if you’ve ever gotten incredibly thirsty or even felt yourself pass out because you didn’t drink enough water, you might reconsider how much water your body really needs. Here are five reasons why you should be drinking water every day, and what can happen if you don’t!

1) Hydrates the body

Water is essential to maintaining body functions such as circulation, respiration, and digestion. Dehydration may cause your cells to function improperly, which could leave you feeling tired or unable to concentrate on tasks. When you're dehydrated, it's harder for your body to absorb nutrients from food. As a result, drink plenty of water throughout the day—preferably about 8 ounces at every meal—to keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

2) Reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTIs

The risk of kidney stones and UTIs (urinary tract infections) increases when we don’t drink enough water. When your body becomes dehydrated, it tries to conserve water by making your urine more concentrated and increasing salt levels in urine. As a result, small crystals in your urine can link together and form kidney stones; drinking plenty of water will dilute these molecules and prevent them from attaching together. Similarly, an increased concentration of salt in your urine makes it easier for bacteria to grow—increasing your risk for UTIs if you aren’t hydrating properly.

3) Lowers blood pressure

It’s no secret that our bodies need water in order to function properly. But did you know that drinking water has a positive impact on blood pressure? When your body is dehydrated, it results in an increase in blood volume and overall pressure. Research shows that regular consumption of water lowers both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, reducing your risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

4) Helps you lose weight

Water aids in digestion and flushes out toxins, which may contribute to weight loss. Research also suggests that drinking water during meals could help you feel fuller and faster and eat fewer calories. For example, one study found that obese women who drank two cups of water 30 minutes before eating a meal lost almost three times as much weight as women who didn't drink water with their meal. But don't overdo it on calorie-free beverages such as diet soda—eating too much sugar can make you gain weight instead of losing it. Overall, try to drink six to eight glasses (16–32 ounces) of fluids per day. This can include juice, milk or club soda; flavoured water; seltzer; or even just good ol' H2O!

5) Prevents headaches

When you’re dehydrated, your blood is thicker and when your blood is thicker it is harder for it to move around in your body. If you have blood that's thick enough to stand on end, then you're going to have some problems with circulation in some areas of your body. Your brain might feel like a wrecking ball just hit it because if blood isn't flowing, oxygen isn't flowing, and none of those chemicals that keep you alert and functional can get you where you need to go. The quicker we drink up water when we start feeling a headache coming on (or while it’s happening) will make all the difference in whether or not one becomes permanent.