We all know drinking plenty of water is good for health, but how many of us know why? We have this wonderful, natural source of health in abundant quantities right there in our refrigerators and, best of all, it’s free!
Most of us don’t drink sufficient water. And a lot of us are also carrying around a few extra kilos If you are eating right and exercising at the correct frequency, intensity and duration and still carry excess weight, you’re probably just not drinking enough water.
Two-thirds of our body comprises water. Drinking water is a key element for weight loss. The liver is the main organ that is responsible for metabolizing fat. When you drink enough water, it helps the kidneys to function efficiently. However, when the kidneys do not get adequate water, the liver must help. Since the liver must perform two functions, it does not metabolize fat as efficiently as it should.
The body needs to burn calories to maintain itself at its critical operating temperature of 98.5 degrees. When the body is exposed to cool air, it has to burn calories to keep itself at a constant temperature. One theory suggests that if you drink eight to ten glasses of ice-cold water every day, the body will burn excess calories to raise the temperature to 98.5! Imagine – just drinking ice-cold water can burn calories! Inexpensive and effective! However, as per Ayurveda, cold water is not recommended. Any Ayurveda or Yoga text will always caution against cold water. So, what do you do? You need to figure out what works best for you – cold water, room temperature water or warm water. I would recommend, all three. Drink warm water when you wake up. Sip on cold water through the day. But never drink cold water during or immediately after a meal. Drink water at room temperature instead.
Here are some more interesting facts about water:
- Drinking water helps to keep hunger away. Drink a large glass of ice water half an hour before meals. The cold causes your stomach to shrink somewhat, which will make you feel full more rapidly.
- Drinking a glass of warm water first thing in the morning helps wake the body up and gives it energy. So, kick-start your day with water!
- By drinking lots of water, you are helping your system to flush out impurities.
- Water makes you look good! By flushing out toxins and impurities, your skin becomes clearer, smoother and younger looking.
Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water. Spread it out through the day. You may make frequent trips to the bathroom in the initial phases, but it will taper off once the body gets used to it. However, if you work out you may need to drink more water. A word of caution, too much water can be bad for you too, especially for diabetics. So, do check with your doctor.
Plain old water with zero calories can help you to knock off those extra kilos and keep them off so make a commitment to start drinking water today!
