Water, Water, Water
I just read this article in Women's World Magazine (Sept 4 issue) and thought it was interesting!! I know we all know the benefits of water, but there were some things in this article that I didn't know!!
The article talked about how "our bodies are 75% water and our brains are 85% water. Without adequate hydration, our metabolism slows, energy levels drop, toxic waste becomes trapped, cells are deprived of vital oxygen and nutrients and so much more."
It goes on to say that "as we get older, we experience a gradual loss of sensitivity to feelings of thirst. We accept a dry mouth as the primary indicator of thirst, yet, it is the last signal your body sends that it's thirsty."
"How much water do you need to drink to lose weight?"
The give a formula for figuring out your body's daily water requirement. "Take your weight and divide it in half. If for example you weigh 150 lbs, you need 75 oz (9-10 glasses) daily.
If you perspire heavily for 30 minutes, you should drink an extra 15 to 30 oz. Any time you drink a caffenated beverage, add an extra 8 to 10 oz!!!"
It does not have to be pure water. "Any beverage without calories, caffeine, carbonation, artifical sweeteners or sodium, such as herbal tea and bottle waters with fruit essence also counts toward your daily quota"
Some other facts it listed were:
"Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster,
water fights fatigue-induced hunger, water helps the digestive system operate more efficiently, water replaces beverages proven to cause weight gain."
It also says "Water prevents the common cold, it controls migraines, it helps lower "bad" cholesterol, it may cure asthma and it soothes arthritis pain".
How to get in more water - "Reach for water first, instead of coffee breaks or drinking soda, Keep the water where you can see it, add a twist of lemon or lime and keep it cool."
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