We know that we should be eating the right food and exercising, but are we overlooking one of the most important aspects of our health? Drinking water is not necessarily a magic bullet, but there are a lot of reasons why water should be a key component of our diet. Let's look at why drinking enough water is important for your health.

You Maintain Your Balance of Body Fluids

Your body is approximately 60% water, which incorporates a number of key processes, such as digestion, absorption, and the transportation of nutrients, not to mention the creation of saliva. If you notice that when you eat, you're stimulating more saliva, and this is one of the key components to overall oral health. Dental providers like Tri-state Dental Care talk about the importance of saliva in terms of oral health. Overall, your bodily fluids are crucial, and this is down to water being present in every part of your body.

It Energizes Your Muscles

We've all heard of electrolytes. When cells don’t maintain proper fluid balance, this causes the electrolytes to shrink, which can cause muscle fatigue. Because your muscles are predominantly blood and water, if you drink enough water, especially if you exercise a lot, this should reduce any feelings of fatigue. This is because you will have enough water in your body to transport the essential nutrients, such as electrolytes. The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines state you should have roughly about 17 ounces of fluid approximately 2 hours before you start exercising, as this can help to replenish any fluid lost from sweating. 

Water Helps Your Kidneys 

The benefit of drinking enough water is that it can flush out nitrogen, which is the main toxin in our bodies that is excreted in urine via the kidneys. When you have enough fluids, you will be regular, and if you drink too little, you get kidney stones. Take it from someone who had a kidney stone - you want to avoid that experience at all costs!

Water is Great for Your Skin

Your skin contains a lot of water, and water acts as a protective barrier to prevent excess loss of fluids. Dehydration makes your skin look more wrinkled (ughhhh!), so this is why you should drink plenty of water and use moisturizer to lock moisture into your skin.

Your Water Intake Can Control Your Weight

Drinking more water is a common weight loss strategy. Foods with higher water content look bigger, which requires more eating, and is absorbed slower by the body, therefore keeping you feeling full. They say when you eat, you should be chewing your food to the point where it breaks down to liquid so your body can absorb it easier, resulting in you feeling full. So, if you are consuming enough water (by drinking or eating it), this means there are enough nutrients being moved around the body, resulting in satiety. 

Water does a lot for us, and if you are not drinking enough, it's time to get a bit more into your diet. The best way to do it is to have water with every snack or meal, add more vegetables and fruits into your diet, and take a water bottle wherever you go.