If I told you that a scientifically-proven option to help with all of the above was nearly free to the public, most people would be super-excited. If I told you that the answer is water, I’d probably get a resounding…”meh.” Water is gross, boring, uninteresting. There are lots of excuses for not drinking enough water, but we’re starting to find even more reasons that it can really benefit your health.
So, yes, water may be boring or gross or not very cool, but it certainly has its perks. And, while it is possible to over do it (if, for instance, you drank gallons and gallons then it may affect your electrolyte balance), for the vast majority of us, we’re much more likely to be under-doing it. In case you were wondering, if your urine isn’t a pale yellow like lemonade, then that’s you. So, let’s all raise a glass to our brains, our bodies and our moods, and drink some water to our health 😊
Dr. Nick
- Dehydration affects brain power. Ever wake up in the morning with that fuzzy brain feeling? Even mild dehydration (1-3%), whether from lack of intake, increased exercise, partying all night long or just normal daily activity, can seriously impair brain function. This can lead to decreased concentration, anxiety, fatigue, and generally depressed mood or simply show up as a pounding headache.
- Think your workout is hard now? Physical performance begins to wane significantly when you become as little as 2% dehydrated. That means you’re done even before you’re thirsty. Think you’re hitting that mid-afternoon slump because you need a snack? That energy you’re looking for could be as easy to find as drinking a glass or two of water. That motivation to hit the gym after work? It could also be as simple as increasing your level of hydration.
- Looking to boost your metabolism by as much as 30%? An extra 1.5 liters of water per day (roughly 6 of those pesky 8 oz glasses) could increase your daily calorie burn by as much as 200 calories per day. So, at 1,400 calories per week, that’s nearly 2 pounds of fat loss per month or 24 pounds over the course of a year. Starting to sound interesting yet?
- Water also makes you feel full without increasing your calorie intake. In one study, participants in a weight loss program who drank 16 ounces prior to each meal lost about 2.5 lbs more than those who simply visualized themselves as full prior to meals. This was over the course of 12 weeks, so that adds up to about 10 pounds over a year. That brings our total to nearly 35 pounds in a year just from increasing your water intake, and that doesn’t include any calories saved by substituting water for soda, juices, etc.
So, yes, water may be boring or gross or not very cool, but it certainly has its perks. And, while it is possible to over do it (if, for instance, you drank gallons and gallons then it may affect your electrolyte balance), for the vast majority of us, we’re much more likely to be under-doing it. In case you were wondering, if your urine isn’t a pale yellow like lemonade, then that’s you. So, let’s all raise a glass to our brains, our bodies and our moods, and drink some water to our health 😊
Dr. Nick
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