To most people there’s nothing more refreshing than a nice cold drink of water, especially after a strenuous activity or on a hot day. It may possibly be one of the best feelings when our bodies need water, and it feels great to drink, as opposed to other times when it may seem a bit off, bland, and nowhere near as delightful. Some people really don’t drink nearly as much water as they should, it hurts the body in the long term.
The largest organ of our body is the skin, it is most critical that it is kept hydrated. A signal of lack of hydration could be dry skin. The body’s natural way of cooling down is sweating, this process also washes away oil and dirt that build up on the skin. Drinking more water may be beneficial in efforts to avoid acne breakouts.
Drinking water affects more than just the throat and mouth, lack of water can lead to irritated, bloodshot, dry eyes. If the body does not have enough water the tear ducts in the eyes dry up, if your looking to ease the problem drinking more water can be a possible solution.
If you are thirsty, and you can feel that your mouth is dry, that is a serious sign that your body is lacking in water. Mucous membranes in the mouth are lubricated by water as we drink it, keeping it moist with saliva that will last even after that last sip.
Close to 80% of spinal discs and cartilage are made up of water. Making sure of proper hydration levels helps to avoid bones from grinding up against each other. Walking, jumping, and running puts shock onto the joints, drinking water may help with joint pain.
As we age the amount of water in our bodies keeps decreasing with each passing year. It is suggested that as we age we should increase the amount of water we drink accordingly. The signs of aging may be noticeable on the outside, but your insides may be feeling the effects of inadequate amounts of water. To help limit the effects of aging one should drink adequate amounts of water throughout our life at a slightly increasing rate each year.
Muscles are comprised mostly of water just like most areas of the body. The less water we drink means that the muscles may be suffering. During a workout drinking water will keep you hydrated and will bring water to where it is most needed in the body, this will also keep inflammation to a minimum and can help to alleviate sore muscles after a workout.
Drinking water allows our body, especially the liver and kidneys, to flush out toxins. Organs will usually always work to filter wastes, but water seems to make this process work more efficiently. If we don’t drink enough water the body will eventually start to try and pull it from other areas like the blood, which can potentially lead to unnecessary problems.
“ A human being is just a big bag of mostly water” – Star Trek: The Next Generation
