Health benefits of drinking water include the maintenance of pH balance, body temperature, metabolism, breathing, prevention of constipation, heartburn, migraines, gastritis, ulcers, kidney stones, cardiovascular disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, backaches and osteoporosis. It is required in excess amounts for pregnant women and nursing mothers. It also plays important roles in kidney function and skin tone.
Water is an essential component of our body and plays a vital role in maintaining the pH balance of the body, metabolic processes, delivering useful products and clearing waste products, while functioning essentially in nearly all major organ systems of the body.
The health benefits of water have been accepted by medical experts across the globe. It is the most abundant compound present on this earth. All living forms, in some or the other, require water for their metabolic activities. It plays vital roles to play in our body and it is impossible to imagine the existence of an individual without water. The human body contains 2/3 water by weight. Blood, muscles, brain matter and bones are also composed of 83%, 75%, 74% and 22% of water, respectively.
Water plays an essential role in the functioning of the circulatory, respiratory, excretory and nervous systems, along with metabolic reactions, maintenance of skin components and a prevention of a number of disorders.
DrinkingwaterHealth Benefits Of Drinking Water
Water has one of the most important roles to play in maintaining a healthy body and some of its benefits of drinking water include:
PH Balance: The human body maintains a pH range of 7.35-7.45 for proper physiological processes. An acidic shift may lead to sickness and an inability of the body to assimilate vitamins and minerals. Thus, it should be above the value of 7, which is favorable to the body’s oxygen uptake, higher energy levels, and a better immune response to diseases. This is attainable by consuming lots of water.
Body Temperature: Much of the human body is made up of water and this fluid is responsible for the regulation of body temperature. We undergo perspiration in summers to dissipate the excess heat in order to lower our temperature. This temperature regulation property has been attributed to water as well.
Osteoporosis: According to the research conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute, individuals drinking adequate amounts of water have reduced risks of osteoporosis and hip fractures.
Breathing: Water plays its role in distributing oxygen all over the human body while collecting the carbon dioxide from all these parts and dissolving these gases.
Metabolism: Water is the carrier of oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to the body’s parts and also provides a medium for the removal of toxins, dead cells, and waste material. The proteins and enzymes involved in various fundamental processes also require water for their proper functioning.
Backaches: The back of our body rests on the spinal cord. The spinal disc core is made up of a large volume of water and dehydration, which leads to back pain in many individuals.
Constipation, Heartburn, Migraine, Gastritis and Ulcers: A number of disorders are related to water deficiency. Constipation, heartburn, migraine, gastritis and ulcers can all be prevented by drinking modest amounts of water routinely.
Kidney Stones: According to the International Kidney Stone Institute, 2 liters or 10 glasses must be consumed each day to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Water is the best solvent and this property does not allow salts and minerals to accumulate to form stones. The salts reaching kidney gets diluted and eliminated in the urine.
Cardiovascular Disease: Water can prevent cardiovascular disorders to a large degree. It maintains proper viscosity of blood and plasma and fibrinogen distribution. Therefore, adequate hydration of vascular components is advisable.
drinkingwaterinfoRheumatoid Arthritis: Joints in the human body are prone to continuous friction and weathering. These can be maintained in proper shape by the intake of proper amounts of water. A decrease in water consumption may lead to rheumatoid arthritis.
Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers: A pregnant woman carries a new life in her womb that develops from her body’s resources. The nutrients and other factors needed for its growth can be carried from mother to the fetus via blood, which in turn needs water. Constipation, bladder infections, and hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy and these can be avoided by drinking excess water during these periods.
Kidney Functions: The excretory material in the form of urea is highly toxic to body tissues and must be diluted before their passage. This is again done by the ‘universal solvent’ – water.
Skin Tone: According to the University of Minnesota, skin may get affected by frost bite and blisters. It has been established that proper water levels in the body prevent the body from experiencing dehydration. This in turn maintains the turgidity of the skin. A number of skin problems can be prevented by drinking adequate amounts of water.
