Top Benefits of Drinking Water Don't Medicate, Hydrate!

Health benefits of drinking water include the maintenance of pH balance, body temperature, metabolism, breathing, and prevention of constipation, heartburn, migraines, gastritis, ulcers, kidney stones, cardiovascular disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, backaches and osteoporosis. It is required in excess amounts for pregnant women and nursing mothers. It also plays important roles in kidney function and skin tone.

Water is an essential component of our body and plays a vital role in maintaining the pH balance of the body, metabolic processes, delivering useful products and clearing waste products, while functioning essentially in nearly all major organ systems of the body.

The health benefits of water have been accepted by medical experts across the globe. It is the most abundant compound present on this earth. All living forms, in some or the other, require water for their metabolic activities. It plays vital roles to play in our body and it is impossible to imagine the existence of an individual without water. The human body contains 2/3 water by weight. Blood, muscles, brain matter and bones are also composed of 83%, 75%, 74% and 22% of water, respectively.

Water plays an essential role in the functioning of the circulatory, respiratory, excretory and nervous systems, along with metabolic reactions, maintenance of skin components and a prevention of a number of disorders.

Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue

Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

Promotes Weight Loss

Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating intake (by filling up your tummy if consumed prior to meals), reduces hunger (hello natural appetite suppressant!), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!

Flushes out Toxins

Gets rid of waste through sweat and urination which reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).

Improves Skin Complexion

Moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing and smooth. Gets rid of wrinkles. It’s the best anti-aging treatment around!

Maintains Regularity

Aids in digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents constipation.

Boosts Immune System

A water guzzler is less likely to get sick. And who wouldn’t rather feel healthy the majority of the time? Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.

Natural Headache Remedy

Helps relieve and prevent headaches (migraines & back pains too!) which are commonly caused by dehydration.

Prevents Cramps & Sprains

Proper hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic so joint pain is less likely.

Puts You in a Good Mood

When the body is functioning at its best, you will feel great and be happy!

Fluid balance

Roughly 60 percent of the body is made 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 control

Forget other diet tricks—drinking water could also help with weight loss. Numerous studies have found a connection between water consumption and losing a few pounds. The secret reason? Water simply helps people feel full, and as a result consume fewer calories.

Spring water

In theory, drinking spring water is health promoting. But as is the case with all types of drinking water, the water source is the key.

Health Benefits of Drinking Spring Water

One of the key benefits of natural spring water is that it comes from water that flows to the surface from a clean underground water source.

Thus, the water is considered to be free of most contaminants typically found in drinking water.

It also contains a level of minerals that is beneficial to health for most living things. Mineral-rich water will usually have a neutral or slightly alkaline pH.

Drinking alkaline water will help to neutralize acidity in the body and can reduce the amount of free radical damage. It will also help to keep bones and teeth strong and dense.

Many people who drink spring water do so because the water has such a clean, refreshing taste that is unequalled by other waters. People generally tend to drink more water if it tastes good.

Drinking enough water daily is one of the most basic foundations of optimal health.

Mineral water

What Is Mineral Water?

Definition according to the FDA

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

Mineral water is any natural water that contains at least 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids (TDS). It must be verified through a lab test whereby a litre of water, evaporated at 180 degrees C, should leave a residue of minerals and salts.

Up to 249 mg/L is classified as 'Spring Water'.

From 250 to 500 mg/L is considered 'Low Mineral Content' or Light Mineral Water

Above 500 mg/L is considered normal or High Mineral Content.

This mineral water must be from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. It can either be flat or sparkling. No minerals may be added to this water."

However, in other countries, these standards may vary and the term "mineral water" can be water with a lower TDS. So when you travel abroad, be extra careful with the quality of bottled water. Read the label to learn more.

What Are the Health Benefits of drinking mineral water?

There are many and the most important reason is that the minerals in the water benefit you because of their healing properties.

Our body can more easily absorb minerals from water as opposed to food. Hence, you gain more by drinking.

Here are some of the benefits.

Detoxifying Properties

It helps detoxify the body from any potentially harmful substances.

The best time to benefit from this process is to drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Start with one glass and gradually progress to two glasses.

Calorie-Free

There are no calories in mineral water, so you don't have to worry about weight issues.

Replaces Electrolytes

Our sweat is water that has varying amount of dissolved minerals in it such as chloride, sodium, calcium, iron, potassium, and others. Hence, when we sweat, we get rid of body heat as well as water and these electrolytes.

Drinking mineral water helps replenish what is lost and can balance the electrolytes in the body.

Source of Calcium

For people who suffer from lactose intolerance, drinking mineral water will provide part of their calcium intake.

Refer to the World Health Organization report for more detail.

Lowers Cholesterol

This may surprise you, but based on a study published in 2004 by the Journal of Nutrition, drinking mineral water can lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL).

The study concluded that this may be due to sodium content present in mineral water.

Hydrates More Effectively

Based on studies, (by S. Williams, N. Krueger, M. Davids, D. Kraus and M. Kerscher in 2007), drinking mineral water (as compared to tap water), shows a better skin-hydrating effect.

Drinking it, especially the sparkling kind, will motivate you to drink more since it tastes better than tap water!

So keep the body hydrated and drink at least eight glasses of water. Drink even more if you work out, or are out on a hot sunny day.

Prevents Cognitive Decline With Alzheimer's

Based on a report from the UK's newspapers, drinking a litre of silicon-rich mineral water every day can reduce the cognitive decline in Alzheimer's. This is done by removing the neurotoxin aluminium from the body.

The newspaper quoted research done at Keele University in Staffordshire, England.

The brand of water that was used in the study was 'Spritzer', from Malaysia, which contains high levels of silicon.

Other brands with similar levels of silicon that are available in the UK are Volvic and Fiji water, as reported by the newspaper.

Spritzer with its high silicon content helps to reduce Alzheimer's memory loss, as reported by the newspapers

Thermal Baths or Spas

Natural thermal waters are hot mineral waters with a high concentration of sulphate, calcium, and chloride. It has been used for centuries to improve skin and mobility problems such as arthritis.

It works by reducing inflammation and swelling of the muscles and joints, hence reducing the pain.

This water is however, not suitable for drinking due to a very high level of sulphate.

The word 'SPA' which is associated with thermal bath, is a Latin phrase ‘Salus Per Aquam’ which means ‘health through water’.

Good Minerals

Mineral water contains the following minerals that are beneficial to your health. There are also minerals that may be harmful. This is clarified in the next section.

Magnesium: Helps strengthen the immune system, relaxes the body and muscles, and lowers blood pressure

Chloride and Bicarbonates: Helps balance the digestive system

Iron: Helps deliver oxygen to the blood system

Sulphate: Cleanses and detoxifies the body

Calcium: Strengthens the bones and teeth

Although there are other minerals present in mineral water, the above are the most commonly present in all brands. They are also responsible for giving each brand its distinctive taste.

Helps Improve Blood Regeneration

The water that you drink will help the body renew your blood.

This happens every 15 days. Hence, if you drink better quality water, you will have blood with better properties.

Generally most mineral waters are of high quality, which will be beneficial to this process.

Boosts Athletic Performance

In the study done at the University of Montana, people who drink mineralized water lose body fluids at a slower rate as compared to those who don't.

This translate to better cardiovascular performance. Hence, you will not only have more energy during your workout or exercise, but you will also recover faster.

Good for the Hair

The next time you wash your hair, try using mineral water. Shampoo as normal with tap water, then rinse with bottled mineral water. Try this for two weeks and you will see noticeable results.

You will get healthier and shinier hair, as reported in a Daily Mail newspaper article.

Alternatively, you can spray your hair with mineral water or mix it in your favourite hair spray before you blow it dry. Try Evian water, which now sells mineral water spray for the hair and face.