The power of water

The rule of 8 glasses of water per day to keep our health on the top is not scientifically verified, yet it does not mean we don't need to drink, and drink enough.

Our body is composed of more than 60% of water and our cells need a good amount of fluids to do their job properly.

Drinking water helps to maintain the balance of body fluids so needed for proper digestion, circulation, transportation of nutriments and maintenance of the body temperature.

The brain (pituitary gland) is linked to our kidneys. It tells the kidneys how much water to excrete or to hold on reserve. When we are low on fluids, the brain triggers the thirst mechanism and we feel thirsty. Sometimes, we take the feeling of thirst for hunger... so listen to your body and before going for some food, try a glass of water.

It has 2 effects:

First, if you are thirsty and not hungry, it will appease you. Second, if you are hungry, you will eat less because the water will fill your without any calories.

How water helps us to get in shape:

It is interesting to eat foods rich in water: fruits, vegetables, oats and beans. We need to chew them more, it makes us feel full as it absorbs slowly.
It keeps us more energised. When we lack of water, our muscles are more tired, so we feel low in energy. When you start to feel fatigue, remember to drink.
It helps our body to naturally detox. The body fluids transport the waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin is the urea nitrogen, water soluble waste that is able to pass the kidneys and be excreted in the urine. Kidneys do the amazing detox job, so our water intake can help them to work properly.
Water intake helps the body to metabolize fat. If we have enough water, there is lower fat deposit. If not enough, the kidney pass some of its function to liver, so the liver is not working on its top performance. The main function of the liver is the fat metabolism, so if it is not working properly, the fat gets stored more. The result is either weight gain or we hit a plateau in our weight loss.
Not drinking enough can lead to a weight gain by water retention: it is a well known body defense mechanism against the scarcity. If body detects we are not drinking enough, it will retain water. We will feel it on our waist, face, ankles... so if we suffer from water retention (and we see it on our body and our balance), if we start to drink water regularly, the brain will let go of the storage of the water.

Few tips to drink more water:

Have a small bottle always with you.
Have a bottle on your desk, in your car...
Think about drinking a glass of water when feeling hungry.
Take some herbal tea in the evening.
Try to take a glass of water before you sit for the big lunch or dinner (you might eat less and get some water intake).
Think about increasing the intake of vegetables and some fruits in case you need a snack...