Why you should drink more of water

Water It Down—The Need-to-KnowWater is the second mostpopular beveragein the U.S. after soft drinks. This is a scary stat, since sugary soda is ahugehealth hazard, upping the risk of obesity, stroke, and other heart problems. However, these dangers can be avoided if people choose to drink water, which doesn’t have negative side effects. So help put the sugary stuff to the side and make water the number one drink of choice. The benefits really are endless. (Just take a look!)Fluid balanceRoughly 60 percent of the body ismade of water. Drinking enough H2O maintains the body’s fluid balance, which helps transport nutrients in the body, regulate body temperature, digest food, and more.Calorie controlForget other diet tricks—drinking water could also help withweight loss. Numerous studies have founda connection between water consumption and losing a few pounds. The secret reason? Water simply helpspeoplefeel full, and as a result consume fewer calories.Muscle fuelSweating at the gymcauses muscles to lose water. And when the muscles don’t have enough water, they get tired. So for extra energy, try drinkingwater to push through thatfinal set of squats.Clearer skinCertain toxins in the body can cause the skin to inflame, which results in clogged pores and acne. While science saying water makes the skin wrinkle free iscontradictory, waterdoesflush out these toxins and canreduce the riskof pimples.Kidney functionOur kidneys process 200 quarts of blood daily, sifting out waste and transporting urine to the bladder. Yet,kidneys needenough fluidsto clear away what we don’t need in the body. Let's drink to that!Productivity boostIn order toreally focus, aglass of watercould help people concentrate and stayrefreshed andalert.Fatigue busterMove over coffee—water can help fight thosetired eyes too. One of the most common symptoms of dehydration istiredness. Just another reason to go for the big gulp! (Not the 7-11 kind.)Hangover helpIf booze has got the best of you,help a hangoverwith a glass of water to hydrate the body and stop that pounding headache.Pain preventionA little water can really go a long way. Aching joints andmuscle crampsand strains can all occur if the body isdehydrated.Keep things flowingNobody wants to deal withdigestion issues. Luckily, drinking enough wateradds fluids to the colonwhich helps make things, ahem, move smoothly.Sickness fighterWater may helpwith decongestionand dehydration, helping the body bounce back whenfeeling under the weather. Just beware—drinking fluids hasn’t beenscientifically proventobeatcolds in one swoop, so don’t swap this for a trip to the doctor or othercold remedies.Brain boostAstudy in Londonfound a link between students bringing water into an exam room and better grades, suggesting H2O promotes clearer thinking. While it’sunclearif drinking the water had anything to do witha better score, it doesn’t hurt to try it out!Bottoms Up—Your Action PlanThe amount of water people need per day isup for debate,but studiessuggest adults need nine to 16 cups of H2O. However this number varies depending on activity level, age, and how much water people are consuming in coffee, tea, or water-rich veggies and fruit. Here’s how to keep yourself hydrated: Begin by drinking aglass of water as soon as you wake up, and 30 minutesbefore eating any big meal. (This will helpcontrol appetite, too.) Get in the habit of keeping a water bottle on hand at all times. And if thetaste beings to bore, spice up the taste buds with a squeeze of citrus to the glass! Before you know it,all the benefits of water will be right at your fingertips… and in your body.