Did you know that around 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated according to doctors?

This shocking statistic stopped me dead in my tracks when I first read it on the Huffington Post.

Especially as I remembered (from basic biology I took in High School) that water is second only to air as an essential natural resource that your body needs to stay alive.

Did you know that you can survive around 21 days without eating food but only 3 days without drinking water?

Yet it still amazes me how much people take hydration for granted. I felt the world needed a "water awareness superhero”. This led me to turn into Mr Water Geek and I quickly set up my blog MrWaterGeek.com

Apart from keeping you alive, here are just some of the top benefits of drinking enough water and getting proper hydration into your body:

HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRINKING MORE WATER

1. Reduces Fatigue & Boosts Energy

This is partially because your brain is mostly water. Therefore it’s no surprise that staying well hydrated helps you stay alert, think better, concentrate and focus. A focused alert brain means more energy for the rest of your body.

2. Natural Remedy For Headaches

You probably already know this but most migraines happen as a result of dehydration. So help your body both prevent and relieve headaches by drinking enough water.

3. Boosts Immune System

FACT: A person that guzzles down water is far less likely to become ill. This is why doctors often recommend that you get lots of sleep and drink plenty of fluids when you’re sick. So, do you want to feel healthy most of the time? Drink enough water.

4. Water Helps With Digestion

Getting enough hydration helps your digestive system. Apart from getting lots of fibre in your diet, drinking water is a great way to help your body digest food and prevent constipation.

5. Drinking Promotes Weight Loss

It’s a scientifically proven fact, drinking more water helps you lose weight. One such study that proves this is from Dr Amanda Daly from he University of Birmingham.

Adding more water to your daily diet reduces the amount of food you eat (partially because it fills up your stomach). To get the full benefits of this, drink a glass of water BEFORE each meal. This not only suppresses your appetite and raises your metabolism it has no calories to boot!

Interested in water to lose weight? READ: The TRUTH Behind The 30 Day Water Challenge For Weight Loss

6. Drinking Water Helps To Flush Out Toxins

Ever had a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)? If you have and seen a doctor then chances are they told you to drink lots of water. Why? Because drinking water flushes out toxins and gets rid of waste through things like your urine and sweat.

So, What’s The Bottom Line? Calculate Your Daily Water Needs and Drink Enough Every Day

Made by - @mrwatergeek

Start drinking more water! Yes, it is possible to drink too much water and that can be very VERY dangerous. I have written about the dangers of drinking too much water here but chances are you’re dehydrated not over-hydrated.

The old 8-glasses a day adage has been proven to be untrue as different people, with different body shapes and sizes will have different hydration needs.

So instead of just blindly drinking gallons upon gallons of water, use this personalised daily intake water calculator to work out the correct daily water intake that is right for you.

So, did this post make you thirsty? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Your Friend,
Luke George
Mr Water Geek

Scientific References

Lieberman, H.R. Hydration and cognition: A critical review and recommendations for future research. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007;26:555S–561S.

Farrand, S., Campbell, A.J. Safe, simple subcutaneous fluid administration. Br J Hosp Med. 1996;55:690–692.

Bossingham, M.J., Carnell, N.S., Campbell, W.W. Water balance, hydration status, and fat-free mass hydration in younger and older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81:1342–1350.

Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. The Complete Guide to Diet & Nutritional Medicine. Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, 1992.

American Medical Directors Association. Dehydration and fluid maintenance: Clinical practice guidelines 2001. Biol Res Nurs. 2006;7:197.