Why Drink 8 Cups of Water A Day?

Okay, so not to be extremely dramatic but honestly, drinking 8 cups of water a day has literally changed my life. It’s made my skin a million times better, my food cravings reduce massively, it’s flushed out dreaded toxins from my body and makes my mind feel less cluttered.

So, with that here are the reasons why you should drink 8 cups of water a day.

#1 Improve Your Skin

First thing I’ve noticed is the improvement in my skin. I get fewer blemishes and when I do, they’re tiny and go so much quicker than previously. If you’ve read my post about using Sudocrem for acne you’ll know that I suffer from spots on my face and sometimes on my shoulders. Drinking lots of water has definitely been a key factor in reducing the number of spots I get as well as making the scarring and complexion discolouration from acne, improve.

#2 Strengthen Hair

Another key reason to drink 8 cups of water a day is it helps to strengthen your hair. Sadly, my hair is extremely thin and breaks so easily. I find that by drinking more water, my hair feels nourished and less brittle. Therefore, it makes it less likely to snap and means when I’m drying or straightening it (I don’t actually know how to curl my own hair), it looks so much smoother and silkier and there is a lot less frizz.

Need some hair care products to help grow long, strong hair? Check out this blog post.

#3 Stop Food Cravings

I am a compulsive snacker. Literally, I snack all the time. It’s recommended that we eat 3 meals a day and have 2 snacks in between. However, I probably have 2 snacks in the morning, 2 after dinner and 2 when I get home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not eating a chocolate bar each time, I have fruit, skinny popcorn and similar, so it’s not majorly calorific but the truth is if I go without I get the worst belly cramps and headaches.

I used to feel like I could literally go all day without drinking water. I tend to only drink during meal times and that’s it. It’s only since coming to work and starting a “drink 8+ cups of water a day” with my work colleague, that I’ve noticed how little fluid I used to intake.

Since drinking water, I have felt full at times I wouldn’t have done previously which has meant I stop eating as much and my bad snacking habits are under control. Hallelujah.

#4 Improve Your Mood

It sounds really bad but since going straight from college to work I’ve been a bit of a grumpy sod. I often feel like slumping into my room in the evenings and just being alone with having my brain buzzing for all day. I also get demotivated to do little things like make my tea, hold a conversation with my family or even text on my phone. It all seems too much at times.

However, drinking water has helped me to feel more energetic and less stressed. I’ve felt my head isn’t as tense and all over the place and my body aches a lot less. Amazingly, it’s also changed how tired I actually look. I’m not as spotty, my undereye bags aren’t as big and I just look better in general.

#5 Control Calories

Like I know I am not obese but also don’t love the way I look which you will probably know from my cosmetic treatments post. With working 7 am – 4 pm, 5 days a week, I have to prep my meals beforehand to ensure I eat something decent and don’t go hungry. I’m not some crazy gym, meal prepper, (though there is nothing wrong with that) I just think what I’d like the night before and make it so that’s it ready to grab and go the following morning.

Preparing meals is probably one of the best ways to know exactly what you’re putting in your body and controlling your calorie intake, especially if you have a hectic day ahead of you. Though, when it’s not the only way. Drinking water has helped me to limit the number of calories I intake by making me feel full throughout the day. This obviously then links to me stopping snacking.

Tip: Having a large glass of water 30 mins before a meal is particularly good for reducing the amount you eat by filling your stomach with water instead of calorific carbs or other foods.

#6 Helps Your Kidneys

I’m all for looking after your body which is one of the many reasons I’ve started having “vegan days” each week to help improve my diet. As much as going vegan can improve your body, water is another major factor in ensuring optimal organ function and so, it’s something that should be taken seriously.

Water helps dissolve minerals and nutrients, making them more accessible to the body. It also helps remove waste products. These two functions make water vital to the kidneys. – Medical News Today

To be honest, I can’t say I have really noticed that my kidneys have improved. Obviously, there are signs you can look for but some of them can be kind of explicit and gross so I’m not going to even think of looking into them. That doesn’t mean they haven’t though. Often your skin gets better, hair stronger and your body feels more alive from the toxins being flushed from your body. This is all hard work done by the kidneys. For more info on how to be “water wise” for healthy kidneys, see here.

Summary

Tips To Easily Add More Water To Your Diet

Most of us need to be drinking more, here are some tips to increase your water intake:

1. Have a glass of water with every snack and meal.
2. Even if you don’t like water, you can drink it in different forms. I love my herbal teas but you could always have flavoured water, sparkling, tonic or water with cordial. It’s important you check the sugar levels in these drinks as they could be misleading and do more damage than good. Make sure you choose drinks that cater to your needs.
3. If you’re counting calories, go for non-caloric drinks or water.
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Their high water content will add to your hydration levels.
5. Keep a bottle of water with you wherever you go. May that be in your car, at your desk, or in your bag.

Not-so-fun fact to close the post: Did you know around 20% of our fluid intake comes from food?