Eight Glasses of Water a Day – Myth or Not?

Posted 09-15-2009 1:00 am by
You’ve heard it from your mother, your doctor, your favorite health magazine – drinking eight glasses of water a day is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy.

Is this true or not? Hard to say. While there are numerous benefits with drinking at least eight glasses of water each day, there is no scientific evidence that conveys drinking this amount is optimal for our health.

But, ask anyone, and they would probably agree with the health benefits of drinking water every day, which include:

•    More energy. The average person loses about ten cups of fluid a day from sweating, exhaling, urinating, and bowel movements. With this, it is easy to become dehydrated without an adequate amount of water. Without water, your blood is thicker, which in turn makes your body have to work harder to get the blood flowing. Your brain is also less active, preventing you from concentrating at peak performance, and your body feels fatigued. Drinking water can prevent by replenishing your blood’s oxygen level.

•    Weight loss. While drinking water is not proven to “flush fat,” it can help aid in weight loss in that water is an appetite suppressant, and that most times when the body feels hungry, it is really lacking in water, not food. Additionally, if you aren’t properly hydrated, your body’s fat cells are not as easily metabolized, and therefore fat is harder to lose. Without enough water, most calories end up in your fat stores instead of building proteins necessary for muscle growth.  Drinking water instead of high sugar and caffeine-containing drinks will also help you lose weight and restore the natural balance of your body in that you won’t be ingesting any of those less-than-ideal substances on a regular basis. Don’t like water? Try flavoring it with a lemon or a drop of honey. The more you drink it, the more you will develop a taste for it.

•    Increases mental and physical performance. Hydration is essential for the human brain to function properly, and at its highest ability level.

•    Helps prevent disease and illness. By removing toxins from the body, such as excess nitrogen, urea and ketones, water helps strengthen the immune system.

•    Healthier skin.

•    Combats dizziness.

•    And more!

Consider These Tips, Too
•    Water also is already present in some of the foods we eat, so take that into consideration when you intake your recommended daily amount.

•    Make sure not to drink TOO much water – as an overload of water can dilute the normal level of sodium in our blood, causing a condition where brain cells can swell and die.

For more medical tips, health advice, and premium online doctor consultations, doctors notes, and more, contact the physicians of KoolDocs.com today!

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