So long, soda. Ta ta, iced tea. Ciao, coffee. There is nothing better with which to hydrate your body than, of course, water.
Your body is composed of about 60% water and keeping it hydrated maintains body fluids that aid in digestion, blood circulation, the circulation of nutrients throughout the body and body temperature regulation.
Drinking an average of two cups of water helped headache patients involved in a national study reduce the pain of their headache within 30 minutes. The study also showed a reduction in the amount of headaches experienced when study participants drank water regularly throughout the day.
Tiredness may be a sign of dehydration. Drinking a glass of water could quickly boost your energy.
Dehydration may also sap your powers of concentration. Drink water to stay focused. A London study showed that students did better on tests when they drank water while taking them.
Trying to lose some weight? Drinking water will help you feel full and may help reduce your calorie intake. (But be smart about it. You cannot substitute water for food.)
In that same vein, many people confuse being thirsty with being hungry and will often reach for a sweet or salty snack to offset that feeling. Next time you feel hungry between meals, reach for a bottle of water instead of a fattening snack and see if that helps to satisfy you.
Drinking water may help skin stay clear by flushing out toxins that cause pimples.
Stay hydrated while exercising to help prevent muscle cramps and aches that may occur when the body is dehydrated.
Instead of reaching for sugary drinks when you’re thirsty, drink water. It’s calorie-free and, in my experience, is a better thirst quencher than soda.
Drinking water helps wash away food particles and bacteria and helps to reduce bad breath which is another sign of dehydration.
Health experts say that drinking water boosts your immune system and guards against colds and flu.
So, how much water should you drink? The popular opinion of drinking eight glasses of eight ounces of water daily should not be considered a hard and fast rule but it roughly conforms to recommendations by the Institute of Medicine. The amount of exercise in which you engage, the intensity at which you perform it, the amount of humidity in the air and the outside temperate all influence how much water you should drink, as do the state of your health, medicines you may be taking and whether or not you are pregnant or breast feeding. Generally, if you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is light yellow or colorless, you are drinking enough water. And, keep in mind that, while it’s rare, it is possible to drink too much water which can result in hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels. Drinking water is not a substitute for food or a short cut to weight loss. It is, however, a necessary element in maintaining our body’s health and functionality.
Another important aspect about drinking water is to keep it natural. I don’t like plain water. Water from the tap doesn’t do it for me and I actually have a hard time getting it down. My drink of choice, above all others, is Hint Water. I discovered it at Whole Foods a few years ago and a case of it is part of my weekly shopping list. And, nope. It doesn’t make it through the week. Not familiar with Hint Water? You should be!
Hint Water is an unsweetened, calorie- and preservative-free, naturally flavored water. In fact, it’s flavored with fruit essences and is vegan, gluten-free and non GMO. It’s available in 15 flavors: Blackberry, Watermelon, Strawberry Kiwi, Mango Grapefruit, Raspberry, Pomegranate, Honeydew, Pear, Cucumber, Lime, Peppermint, Blood Orange, Crisp Apple, Peach and Pineapple, which is the newest flavor. I love all of the flavors and drink them not only because of the aforementioned reasons to make water my choice of hydrating beverage but because I love them. I’m particularly fond of Cucumber on a hot summer day during and after a workout. It’s so refreshing. In the winter, when the fruits are less than sweet and are, frankly, disappointing, Blackberry Hint Water never disappoints. I will often stick a bottle in my freezer and savor it when it’s frosty and icy. I told you I was crazy about this stuff – and, in the interest of full disclosure, Hint Water’s reps contacted me asking if I was familiar with it and if I’d share my knowledge with you, my readers. And, they offered me free product samples. Ok, you’ve been reading EverBeautiful.com long enough. You know I’m no dummy. I emailed them my address that same day and received a lovely box of their newest flavors as well as samples of Hint Fizz, sparkling water that’s available in six flavors: Cherry, Grapefruit, Blackberry, Peach, Watermelon and Strawberry Kiwi. Hint Water is a staple on my shopping list so why not save a few bucks, was my thought. I haven’t tried the Pineapple yet – but it’s next in line. I’m sure it will be delicious, fresh-tasting, thirst-quenching, refreshing and as much like pineapple as it can be.
All of this writing about my favorite water has made me thirsty. (Any excuse, people.) Try Hint Water for yourself. It’s available at supermarkets nationwide and on their website. And – how did I not know this? – you can sign up to have Hint Water delivered directly to your front door! Purchase three or more cases and the shipping is on them. I’m in. Plus I signed up for their newsletter. OMG, I love this stuff. You will too. Trust me. Hint Water is delicious and it’s good for you! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment in the section below. I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.
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