This is why drinking water is important

POLOKWANE – I do not like the taste of water, especially in the colder winter months, so why is it so important for me to drink water daily?

Half of our bodies are made up of water, and we need to drink two to three liters of fluid daily to help our bodies work better on the inside so that we can feel better on the outside.

Here is why water is important for your body:

• Have you ever realised that as soon as you try to follow a diet for weight loss you get cravings to eat everything that you are not supposed to? Studies have found that people who drink water before a meal lose more weight, compared to those who do not.  Water makes us eat less by making us feel full and it boosts your metabolism by helping your body digest, absorb, and excrete foods.  Also it is not uncommon to mistake thirst for hunger.  Therefore next time before you reach for the chocolate, have a glass of water followed by a healthy snack or meal.
• Studies have found that drinking water can make us feel refreshed and this improves our mood. Next time you feel tired or sluggish, drinking a glass of water may be just what you need to feel better.
• Drinking water may help to prevent headaches naturally, because going without water for too long have been identified as a trigger for headaches and even migraines. Prevent a headache by staying hydrated throughout the day.  Aim to spread your six to eight glasses daily over six to eight hours, that is one glass of water every hour at work.
• Water could power your cold-weather workout. When it’s cold we tend to think we need less water, but the reality is that we actually lose a lot of water through breathing. When doing exercises in cold weather your body needs to work harder under the extra layer of clothing and as a result you are breathing more heavily and therefore losing more water.  Therefore remember to drink lots of water while exercising, even if you do not sweat so much during exercise.
• It keeps you healthy from the inside. More than half of your body is water and your body needs water to digest food you’ve eaten, transport the nutrients to where it is needed, cleans the body by excreting waste products, regulate your temperature (in other words keep you warm during the winter), to name but a few important functions of water in your body.  You wouldn’t wash your kitchen floor with cold drink, so why try to wash your body with cold drink/coffee/tea instead of water.

Remember to drink your eight glasses of water today, starting right now.

Visit www.adsa.org.za to find a dietitian close to you for more information on healthy eating and why water is good for you.

Anke van Waveren

Registered dietitian