Stay Hydrated!

By Victoria Gravini, CPT

Alignment Studio

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Stay Hydrated!

While the jury may still be out on whether we should be drinking 8 glasses of water each day, there is no need to put aside your water bottle yet. Water is an important nutrient that your body needs and is essential to your health.

We are continuously losing water throughout the day. We breathe, we sweat, we metabolize food, and we use the restroom. When we excrete or evaporate more water than we take in, then we run the risk of being dehydrated.

How can drinking water help us? Let me list my top 5 reasons

Drinking water will help maintain the balance of fluids in the body. Bodily fluids are important for the absorption of nutrients, digestion, circulation, and maintenance of body temperature. When your bodily fluids are balanced, you are more productive and less fuzzy-brained.

Water helps to energize your muscles. When you are properly hydrated, the cells maintain their fluid and electrolyte levels, which result in less muscle fatigue and better performance. Water will help reduce chance of cramps and sprains. Be sure to drink water 2 hours before exercise and have enough with you to help replenish what you sweat out during exercise.

Water helps your kidneys. Water helps transport waste materials to the kidneys, namely blood urea nitrogen, to be passed out in the urine. Urine is light and odor-free when you are drinking enough water. Proper hydration also helps lower the risk of kidney stones.

Drinking water can help reduce your risk of cancer. This is a big one. Reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45% (International Journal of Cancer, 1999), bladder cancer by 50% (BBC News, 1999), and possibly breast cancer (American Cancer Society, 2012).

Water is free! Sports drink companies and enhanced water companies will try to sell you on the idea that you need what they offer. Some people do, there is no doubt; however, the vast majority of us need plain, unadulterated water. Buy a great reusable water bottle and drink up.