The Nectar of the Gods

My older brother loves Coca-Cola. He doesn't drink it much, but it's his very favorite soda of all time. He has been known to say it is "The Nectar of the Gods." Ha ha. (We'll have to talk another time about soda-pop). The truth is, as most of us probably know, if anything deserves to be called the Nectar of the Gods, it would have to be water.

If you're like me, you've heard all the hype about how drinking water is important, how 2/3 of our bodies are water. Get those 8 cups a day! Don't get dehydrated! The thing is, it's the truth! Here is a good overview:

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Pretty impressive, right? But maybe not enough to convince you. I hear it all the time--"I hate drinking water," "I get my water from milk and juice and kool-aid," "There's no way I can drink just plain water." I get it. I really do. I know that it can be hard. For me it's especially hard to get enough water in the winter, when it's cold outside and I'm less likely to be thirsty much. 

Flush Your System 

When I think of why it's important to drink water, I think of a phrase I heard my mom use once. She said it "flushes your system." Hmmm. Really? Flushes your system. Well, I'm the mother in a household of 7, and I do a lot of dishes. On those dishes are remnants of food. Unless you're in the habit of literally licking your plate clean, there is always something. Some kind of sauce, or crumbs, or peanut butter and jelly, or dressing, or seasoning--just picture your dishes after you eat or cook, and you know what I mean. So the dishes come through, and I use water to clean them. If I get to them right away (which for me is a huge must) it's relatively easy to wash all that food off. Hold the dish under running water, off goes the food, and it's ready for the dishwasher. Wait for a while, and the food gets all hard and stuck on the dish, and getting it off is a lot more challenging. 

So what about all the food residue left behind in our bodies as the food moves through our systems? Ugh, am I walking around with insides that look like dirty dishes?? Drink that water, so it can go through and flush off a lot of that food residue!

My 5 Favorite Benefits

There are countless benefits of drinking water. Here are my 5 favorite, in no particular order.

1. Lose Weight--water helps flush the by products of food intake, as we know. And it's a zero calorie way to reduce hunger. Did you know that one symptom of dehydration is hunger? So you're not just drinking water to mask the need for food--sometimes that hunger really is just a need for water! Amazing.

2. Look Younger--well, who doesn't want that? Water is the best way to keep your skin moisturized and tight, because it gets at the root of everything. Lotions can only go so deep, but water works from the inside. It is the best skin care product around, and so much cheaper than all those creams and things. (Although I like lotions and creams, too--they are good for locking the moisture in). 

3. Better Exercise--Let's face it, exercise is not easy. It shouldn't be easy, either, or we're not working hard enough. But it is worth it, and there's a payoff you can't get anywhere else. Water helps regulate body temperature, which means you will feel more energized during a workout. It also fuels your muscles. So even though we know exercise isn't easy, who wouldn't want that energized feeling to get you through?

4. Smarter!--What? Drinking water makes you smarter? Our brains need a lot of oxygen to perform to their potential. Did you know that water helps transport that oxygen to the brain? Drinking enough water can improve our cognitive function by as much as 30%! Got a big test coming up? Trying for that scholarship? Or just trying to live a normal, day to day life? We all have to think, every day! Make sure you're getting your water!

5. Happiness--Water makes our bodies healthier, makes them just plain feel good. And generally, when you feel good, you're in a good mood.

I'm not saying that drinking your 8-10 cups of water every day is necessarily easy--especially in this fast paced world that doesn't usually allow for trip after trip to the powder room. But it's like exercise. You've got to figure out a way to fit it in. One way to do that is to exchange some of your other beverages (soda-pop especially) with water. Another way is to carry a water bottle wherever you go. 

For myself, I set a goal of 100 oz. a day. It's paired with my goal of 100 minutes of exercise per day (which I am currently working back into). I bought myself a Camelback eddy water bottle, and it rocks. I get up early in the morning to work, and I suck on my water bottle as I sit at my computer. Usually by 7 or 8 in the morning, I have downed my 100 oz, and by 10 or so I'm done with my frequent trips to the bathroom. For me, it works. 

What works for you?