Mind and Body Benefits of (Infused) Drinking Water
Health Benefits of Drinking Water
For ages, studies have shown that drinking water helps to improve our overall health and wellbeing. But the research is getting even more interesting in recent years. Here are some of the latest reports:1. Stomach ache? Drink water infused with ginger.
Sipping on soda isn’t necessarily doing your body any favors. Especially when you’re feeling ill. Even commercial ginger ale is loaded with sugar that can just make you feel worse. Instead, fix yourself a mug of hot herbal tea (the original infused water!) or toss a couple pieces of fresh ginger into your water glass. Both ginger and turmeric can act as anti-inflammatories—a great remedy for those flu-like symptoms.2. Feeling stressed? Water can help calm your nerves.
Avoiding things like refined sugar, carbs, and caffeine are always good things to do when you’re stressed. The quick effects of a sugar or caffeine rush can actually make the situation worse than before. Our bodies respond a lot better to water and vitamin-rich fruits and veggies. And when it comes to stress at work or the office, studies suggest that sipping water during a mindfulness meditation can help you relax—even if the practice is only a few minutes long. It sure gives a whole new meaning to a water break!3. Trouble staying focused? Hydrate with filtered water.
Most of us understand that being severely dehydrated will decrease our body’s strength and endurance. But even mild hydration can have a dramatic effect on our brain’s function and productivity. Even feeling just a little parched is enough to make a difference on our short-term memory, reaction time, and attention span. The impacts are most noticeable in elderly individuals and young children. To us, that’s another reason for kids to take a reusable water bottle to school.4. Big appetite? Drink water to increase your metabolism.
Water consumption has also been linked to weight loss and reduced hunger. It makes sense, right? If you have a healthy serving of water first, you’re less likely to over-indulge with food. One study showed that drinking water before eating helped overweight adults lose 40% more weight than those who skipped hydration. And other research shows that drinking half a liter of water can even boost your metabolic rate by as much as 30% for one hour.5. In a bad mood? Cheer yourself up with clean water.
Feeling “hangry” has become a popular term in recent years. The idea is that you feel angry because you’re hunger, or that it’s hunger-induced anger. The same could be said about dehydration. New findings suggest that drinking water can have a direct impact on cognition and mood. In addition to all the other good stuff water can do, experts now say that “mood states are positively influenced by water consumption.” So, drink up!The Infused Water Bonus
For those who want to sip on their water in style, trying out a few spa water recipes can be a great place to start. Adding fresh mint, bright-red strawberries, or a few slices of lemon to your water is an easy way to get some all-natural flavor in your glass. Infusing water helps a lot of people stay hydrated throughout the day. Because they like how the infused flavors tastes, they get a lot more enjoyment out of drinking their water. When you get down to it, infused water is more about the quality of the water itself than the ingredients that are infused in it.The beauty of infusing water with colorful fruits and veggies and herbs is that it incentivizes more people to drink more water. Staying hydrated becomes more appealing when it tastes good. And the more water we drink—whether it’s infused or not—the better hydrated we are. There’s certainly reason to appreciate the cucumber flavor in your or delicious infused water recipe, but the majority of the work is being brought by good ol’ H2O. (Just make sure it’s filtered!)