Water You Up To Tonight?

By Lauren Brose ‘15

High-fructose corn syrup, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, honey, syrup, corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose…. These are all fancy synonyms for an ingredient we all know too well: sugar. Gatorade, Snapple, soda and fruit juices all contain one or more of the previous empty-calorie sweeteners. Drinking too many sugary drinks can contribute to being overweight or obese as well as a variety of other adverse health effects. It’s addictive,  bad for your teeth, has no nutritional value, can lead to diabetes and raises your cholesterol. If you’re looking for a quick way to cut calories or if you’re trying to spruce up your diet, cut out these beverages and substitute it with water.

Drinking water is incredibly beneficial for your health.

• Prevents headaches: All headaches are caused by chemical, emotional, or structural problems. The biggest culprit of headaches is dehydration. Before reaching for Tylenol, try drinking a glass of water and see if it was your body’s way of telling you you’re thirsty.
• Maintains weight and supports healthy weight loss: Drinking a glass of water before your meals help prevent overeating and also boosts your metabolism. Also, water has zero calories as opposed to soda, energy drinks and juices. Don’t waste your calorie intake on liquid beverages but instead on solid foods that will get you full more quickly. Plus, water is FREE. If you’re looking to save a few bucks off your bill every time you dine out, stick to water. $3 seems like nothing but if you’re dining out 5 times a week that’s $60 every month that you can save just by drinking water (and being healthier)!
• More energy: Water makes up about 60% of our body weight. Not drinking enough water is the biggest reason why we feel fatigue throughout the day.
• Cleanses your body of toxins: water is not the key to neutralizing all toxic waste in your body but it is the very thing the kidneys need most to break down and rid your body of toxins.
• Better skin: Wrinkle prevention, a clear complexion, healthy glow and a lowered risk of developing cellulite are few of the many benefits drinking water has for our skin.
• Brain alertness: It also affects the sharpness of our memory. If the overall water level in your body drops 2%, fuzzy memory is triggered which could be potentially crippling during midterm season. 

How much should we be drinking water?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day; however, today I have been informed that we should consider our body weight when determining how much water we should really be drinking per day. For example, if someone weighs 160 pounds, they should be drinking 80 ounces of water.  Your body weight ÷ 2 = The amount of water (in ounces) that you should drink each day.

 

We are able to drink unlimited amounts of water though, right?

As much as I emphasize the importance of drinking water and am suggesting we all make efforts to increase our daily intake, drinking too much water can cause serious health complications especially if you already have problems with your kidneys.  

When should we drink water?

In short, all day everyday. Although drinking too much water is just as harmful as not drinking enough, the majority of adults are aware that they do not drink as much water each day as they should. There are certain times during your day that your body reaps the benefits of drinking water most.

• After waking up: your body’s internal organs are activated when you awaken thus jumpstarting your metabolism. To accomplish this, we should be drinking at least a glass of water within the hour you wake up.
• Before meals: Drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal helps with digestion and prevents overeating since it makes you feel full quicker.
• Before bed: hydrating before bed promotes a sound sleep and prevents midnight snacking.

Make water more fun!

• Add lemon: Eases heartburn, bloating, cleanses the liver and kidneys, relief for cold and flu symptoms when served hot
• Add cucumber: Natural laxatives, helps with acne and overall skin care, good for your hair
• Drink infused water! Try antioxidant-filled sliced berries or citrus for added flavor.

• Freeze fruit juice into ice cubes for a subtle splash of fruitiness.
• Drink water out of a cup or bottle with measurements: you can better monitor how much you’ve been drinking. I also found that after I had a super cute reusable water bottle I always wanted to drink out of it. Some water bottles come with Brita filters built in so you can refill your bottle at a water fountain or sink with a guarantee that your water is fresh.
• Try sparkling water: a zero calorie alternative to water that tastes like soda! It’s even better when infused with fruits like pomegranate or cucumber. 

Try Tea

Zero calories, rich in caffeine and 100% all natural, tea is a great alternative to drinking coffee. The many benefits of tea are astounding:

• Increased endurance during workouts: Green tea burns fat as energy thus giving a boost during sweat seshes
• Greater life expectancy
• Hydrates the body despite having caffeine
• Linked to lower risk of heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s

• Acts as a sun screen: studies have shown that green tea can act as an added layer to protecting body from the penetration of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays
• Drinking green tea improves bone density and strength
• Don’t forget about the herbal tea! Though not considered tea since it doesn’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant like true tea leaves do, the list of benefits of herbal tea is never-ending:
• Digestive aid
• Detox body
• Natural Diuretic
• Fights nausea
• Helps depression
• Muscle relaxing
• Reduces water retention (bloating)
• Pain relief
• Calming for stress and anxiety
• Clears sinuses