Health Tips: Top 10 Reasons Why We Should Drink Water

The human body consists of 60 to 70 percent water. When a person doesn't drink enough water, it has negative effects on the body and the way the body functions. The general recommendation is to consume eight to ten glasses of water a day, to stay properly hydrated. This water intake should be spread throughout the day.

1. Not drinking enough water affects the health, among other things; water flushes out toxins in the body and keeps essential organs moist so they can function.

2. Water consumption helps the body breathe, because it moistens the lungs. People, who don't drink enough fluids can also gain excess body fat, have poor muscle tone and a decreased ability to digest food.

3. Water is one of the best ways for weight loss, because it actually substitutes high-calorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn't have any calories. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, and no sugar.

4. Drinking a good amount of water could lower the risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack than those who drank less than two glasses.

5. Being dehydrated can bring down your energy and make you feel tired, and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.

6. Lack of water often results in headaches, in fact, when we have headaches it's simply a matter of not drinking enough water. There are plenty of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a common one.

7. Water can clear up your skin and people often recognize a healthy glow after drinking water constantly over a period of time.

8. Digestive system needs a good amount of water to digest food properly. Water can help cure acidity problems and water along with fiber can cure constipation (which is also a result of lack of water).

9. Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

10. Drinking a healthy amount of water is found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Some myths:

People usually think, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are liquids, and they can be taken, as substitute for water, when thirsty. But the fact is that they don't really quench the thirst, because; products such as soda, coffee and beer cause the body to become dehydrated. If you find that you're extremely thirsty, not eating a healthy diet or feeling dehydrated, it would be better for you to drink cold water rather than hot water, because the body absorbs cold water more quickly.