When I was a little boy, I grew up drinking water, regular milk, or chocolate milk (thank you, Sis) in the morning right before going to school. I can still hear what my sister would say to me, “Milk is good for you. Drink your glass of milk so you can grow tall and strong.” So, I did.
At the same time, drinking water in a country where it always feels like summertime all year round is the norm. As time passed, I moved to the USA, where it was not scorching hot like the country I was born in, and therefore the meaning of drinking water changed for me.
One, because there are too many drinks out there that are not, simply put, water. Two, I learned to indulge myself on other types of drinks that are supposedly good for you, but the truth is, water is king.
So, allow me to tell you some of the fascinating reasons why I love drinking water again. By the way, I keep a water bottle handy in the car at all times.
Let's get started with the benefits of drinking water.
I am wondering… How many of you travel with a water bottle with you? Leave your answer in the comment down below 🙂
Let’s being with the benefits of drinking water…
1
My first reason is kind of...
The first reason is kind of logical to me because I’ve learned that the human body is made of about 50-75 percent water. To me, that means that the body needs water as a primary building block for cell production. If your body is hot because of the weather, because you have danced for 45 minutes straight, or because you’ve just finished exercising, it needs to regulate the internal temperature by sweating.
And the key component of the sweat is…? Yup, water. Last, but not least, water is used to get rid of waste and toxins from our body. I figured out that in order to keep the body functioning well, water is one of those things I need to drink all the time.
Water is extremely necessary for our bodies to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. It also detoxifies the liver and kidneys. Fiber alone cannot aid proper digestive function by itself. In fact, without water fiber can cause constipation and bloating, I’m just saying.
My logical thing to do heres is: Keep a water bottle with you at all time. This is a great habit to cultivate.
2
Second reason is more for...
My second reason is more for appearance. Once I understood that water is needed so the inner body can run well, I realized that it also benefits the outer body.
Do you know what is the largest organ in our body? It is the skin. The skin helps define our beauty seen by the world. In my humble opinion, if you’re not drinking water, the collagen in your skin begins to crack and bind together, causing more noticeable fine lines and wrinkles.
Do I need to say more? Drinking water helps to pump up your skin and helps to minimize those fine lines. Like I said before, keep a water bootle with in the car or by the bed.
3
The third reason is related to my...
My third reason is related to my mood (my manly mood that is…) Feeling cranky? You check the temperature of the air conditioning, and it is fine. You had some food earlier, so that’s not it. Hmm…You are wondering, “Why am I feeling cranky?” Forgoing H2O may be the worst thing you could do because being mildly dehydrated will affect mood and cause fatigue. Also, dehydration can trigger headaches and migraines in some individuals (like me).
However, this appears to depend on the type of headache. One study of 18 people found that water had no effect on the frequency of headaches, but did reduce the intensity and duration somewhat.
Not a cool place to be, but before you take a pill, try drinking a glass or two of water and see how you feel after that. Now you see the main reason why I keep a water bottle in the car or in my desk
4
Yup, the fourth reason is based on...
My fourth reason is based on knowledge. For a long time, I’ve known that. drinking water is good for weight loss. Yup, I said it. When it comes to weight loss, water is that little thing that will always be mentioned.
Water, plenty of it, is imperative to your health, among other things. Drinking plenty of water can increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate.
In two studies, drinking half a liter (17 ounces) of water was shown to increase metabolism by 24-30% for up to one and a half hours. Read this important piece of information here.
This means that drinking two liters of water every day can increase your total energy expenditure by up to 96 calories per day. Go figure!
The timing is important, too. Drinking water half an hour before meals is the most effective because it can make you feel fuller, so that you eat fewer calories.
And finally, water will keep all your organs in good condition by disposing of waste and toxins. The intake of water will keep you focused and energized. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
5
Fifth reason is based on the idea of...
My fifth reason is based on the idea of prevention… the question is, did you know that water can aid injury prevention and healing?
For years, a lot of dancers, including myself, have found that by just increasing water consumption they can reduce injuries and heal quicker. Water aids in blood circulation, flushing toxins away from the injured area.
It can speed up healing by reducing inflammation caused by overuse or injury, and it simply refreshes our well-used muscles.
I don’t remember anyone telling me about this little fact growing up or even being at school. Once I’ve learned all these stuff, I made that conscious decision to keep that water bootle next to me.
6
My sixth reason is about...
I found in my reading that if you’re dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker, and your body works much harder to cause it to circulate. As a result, the brain becomes less active, it’s hard to concentrate, and your body feels fatigued.
If you find yourself tired after dance class, this is, of course, normal, but a quick ‘pick me up’ can come from a few quick drinks of water. Make sure to drink between classes, not only to avoid being thirsty, but to keep the body and mind alert and active.
Adequate water consumption can improve your energy, increase your physical performance, and raise your mental alertness and concentration. For those individuals who want to perform on stage, this is a great tip to keep in mind.
If you do not stay hydrated, your physical performance can suffer. This is particularly important during intense exercise or high heat.
Dehydration can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, increased fatigue, and make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally.
How to help increase water consumption in your life?
Now that you know my reasons why I drink plenty of water all the time, I would like to give you these three useful tips to help increase water consumption.
Tip #1 – Make sure to carry a water bottle with you every day. This one is very simple and yet useful because if you have it available to you, you’ll drink it. Buy a pack of bottled waters and keep them in your car or somewhere that’s always accessible. This also helps you keep track of how much water you drink. Then try and drink at least one water bottle or more at night.
Tip #2 – Always keep a water bottle in your dance bag, so you always have one when you really need it, like when you’re exercising. Bring at least one water bottle with you to work or school. Try to set a goal of drinking one water bottle in the morning, another water bottle during the afternoon, and one at night.
Tip #3 – You are naturally thirsty and dehydrated in the morning when you first wake up. Make it a habit to drink at least one glass of water in the morning with your breakfast to help your body to flush out the toxins it has been processing overnight.
Take advantage of feeling thirsty to help get a jumpstart on your water consumption for the day.
Don’t wait until you are thirsty to have a drink. You are already dehydrated if you feel thirsty.
These are just some of the tips you could use to increase your water intake. It would be crazy wrong NOT to reap the benefits of drinking water. Right?
What kind of benefits water has as a dancer?
Now As Dancers, you and I are athletes and it is important to keep our bodies in the best condition possible. Agreed?
One major factor of body health is water consumption among other things. We can’t expect to have the strength and energy we need, let alone feel and look our best if we don’t drink enough water.
So, if you are a dancer, this is something to remember after dancing the night away…
Injury Prevention and Healing
Dancers plagued with injuries have found that by just increasing their water consumption they can reduce injuries and heal quicker. Water aids in blood circulation, flushing toxins away from the injured area and can speed up healing. Another property you gain with drinking waters is at the natural ability to reduce inflammation. Sound familiar?
Maintain a Healthy Weight
When I, and I’m pretty sure you too, become dancers we not only want to dance well but as performers we all know that it is important to have a healthy weight and look great on stage. Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
This is a post it note I have next to my computer…
“ A healthy outside starts from the inside. “
-Robert Urich.
In Conclusion
As you can see, these are some of the ways to help me keep it up, and now I’m so used to drinking water that I can tell right away when I am not doing it. This is a very healthy habit to cultivate. Whether you are starting to drink one water bottle or several the key word here is just start.
These are just of the few of the ways that you can learn how to be conscious of the importance water for your overall health.
Have you experienced any interesting results from drinking water on a daily basis?
Do you have any other tips to increase your water intake?
Stay Healthy!
YDS
PS. FYI, I have written an article on how to prime you body for better dancing. Click this link to read the article.
