Sort by
Sort by

Springs of Life

- Jamie Liow, Corporate Nutritionist

Everybody knows the importance of having enough fluids in our diet, but how many of us actually ensure that we get the amount we need into our bodies every single day? Here are some reasons why you should start guzzling more liquids, starting right this moment!

Springs of Life
1) Water helps you lose weight. It's true! It replaces calorie-laden beverages in the diet, and also fills you up if you were to drink it before a meal, so you don't end up eating more than you should.

2) Drinking alcoholic beverages dehydrates your body. That is the main cause of hangovers - dehydration. It's been rumoured that after a night out of heavy drinking, the only way to prevent a hangover was if you put yourself on a drip the whole night long!

3) Drinking water flushes toxins from the body. When the kidneys have enough fluids to work with to remove toxins from the body, it does its job more effectively than if you were dehydrated.

4) Water is the best fluid for hydration for athletes. It's not true that you necessarily need sports drinks to hydrate yourself during exercise, unless you run marathons or you compete in highly strenuous activities, will you need the salts your body loses, replenished. Adequate fluid, especially water, is the single most important way the body has to transport nutrients and energy and reduce body heat during exercise.

5) Although the recommendations are to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, but this can be made up by fluids from your foods and beverages.

6) Lack of water is a big reason for daytime fatigue. When the body isn't hydrated properly, it can't function at its best.

7) The hypothalamus in your brain controls both hunger and thirst, and sends the same signals whether you're hungry or thirsty. So the next time you feel 'hungry', try drinking a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. This time allows your brain to send signals to indicate if your thirst has been satisfied, or you were really actually hungry. Who know, by doing this you might end up losing some weight!

Just to put things in perspective as to how big a part water plays in your life: Your muscles are 75% water, your blood is 82% water, your lungs are 90% water and your brain is 76% water. Even your bones are 25% water! Understand the importance of water in your diet now?