HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU NEED TO DRINK IN THE SUMMER IN ARIZONA?
As the weather heats up in Arizona, it’s time to drink water! We’ve looked into the research to provide you with the right information about how much, when and why to drink your water this summer and what can happen if you don’t!
First things first, should we drink hot or cold water, or is room temperature water best?
Cold
water appears to cool us down more quickly, according to research. Some
studies have shown that people are inclined to drink more water and
sweat less when they drink cool water. If you’d like to burn a few extra
calories, eat ice or drink slushy water, as your body uses about 5
calories to burn each ounce of ice! There are no proven health benefits
to drinking warm or hot water, but it can be comforting. Ultimately, the
choice is really up to each of us! Overall though, research on this
topic is quite limited, so it would be a good topic for the science
fair.
When is the best time to drink water?
Physicians recommend drinking 650 mL (2.75 cups) of water right when you wake up in the morning. When we drink water in the morning, it flushes out the stomach, balancing the lymphatic system and building a strong immune system.
Restaurants have it right! Drinking water about 30 minutes prior to a meal is ideal, and drinking water on an empty stomach increases your metabolic rate by 24%! On the other hand, avoid drinking water during the two hours after eating a meal.
How much water should we drink?
According to the Harvard School of Public Health,
healthy men should drink thirteen cups of water each day, while heatlhy
women should drink nine cups of water daily (1 cup = 8 ounces). In hot
climates and when we’re physically active, we need more water. Generally
speaking, thirst tells us when to drink water, and there is not a upper
limit of water intake, because the body is able to excrete water it
doesn’t need.
How does drinking water help the skin?
The release of toxins is facilitated by drinking water, which will improve the elasticity and radiance of your skin. Just by drinking 500 mL of water, you can increase blood flow and encourage the production of new blood cells! On the other hand, a shortage of water can cause wrinkles and deepening of pores.
What can happen if we don’t drink enough water?
Since it’s hard to keep track of how much water we drink all the time, it’s valuable to know the signs of dehydration. Mild dehydration can leave you feeling lethargic; signs of more severe dehydration include nausea, headaches, and dizziness. If you start experiencing those symptoms, get water as soon as possible.
A number of health problems are associated with drinking too little water over time including: migraines, dyspepsia, heartburn, indigestion, kidney stones, bladder infections, breast cancer, uterine cancer, sinusitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and obesity.
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