Ideas & Trends

You’re getting in shape and watching what you eat-all in preparation for your big day! Whether your goal is weight loss, increasing your energy or just overall wellness, I’ll be offering tips for a healthier you twice each month. First, we’ll start with the basics of eating and exercising right. This week: water and why it’s so important for you to drink lots of it.

The human body, like planet Earth, is almost two-thirds water. Every cell in your body depends on water in order to do its job properly. It is essential for survival and for optimal health. Not getting enough water can lead to dehydration which means your body does not have the water it needs to carry out normal functions. Many people suffer from mild, chronic dehydration.

To combat dehydration, the Mayo Clinic says to abide by the "8x8 Rule." This means to drink 8oz of water 8 times each day. Athletes, pregnant or lactating women, people with chronic illness and those who live in hot climates may require more fluids to remain hydrated. Now that you know how much to drink, here are six reasons to do it every day:

1. Get That Healthy Glow — If you want your skin to look clear and bright on your wedding day, the best thing you can do is drink a lot of water. According to Cathy Wong, ND our skin is a reflection of our digestive health and water helps to keep our digestive system balanced and healthy. Which brings us to the second reason why it’s important to stay hydrated.

2. Digestive Health — Drinking plenty of water helps to prevent constipation and keeps your digestion running smoothly. A quick search on WebMD will tell you that water is essential to eliminate waste properly, thus keeping you feeling healthy. You already have enough to worry about on your wedding day. You don’t need to worry about your bodily functions too!

3. Remove Unwanted Toxins - Not only does water help to eliminate toxins via our digestive tract, it aids the kidneys in getting rid of excess byproducts as well. Basically, water helps almost every cell in your body eliminate what it no longer needs-helping you to feel balanced and healthy.

4. Keep Your Heart Healthy — A recent study has shown that drinking at least five glasses of water each day decreases your chances of heart disease by 41-54% depending on your gender.

5. Maintain Healthy Joints & Muscles - Water lubricates and cushions your joints and muscles. Water also helps keep your muscles from cramping. That’s why it’s especially good to drink water before, during, and after exercise.

6. Increase Your Energy & Maintain a Healthy Weight - Even mild dehydration can cause tiredness and fatigue. NaturoDoc says that dehydration can cause irritability and mild depression as well as the inability to metabolize fat, making it hard to lose those few extra pounds right before the wedding.

Deciding to be with your mate for the rest of your life is a big commitment-one that you'll want to be in the best of health for. Drinking an adequate amount of water each day is the start to a healthy, long-lived life with your spouse-to-be.