We neglect to drink enough water. Medical research has long supported the benefits of drinking plenty of water, from boosting energy levels to supporting kidney function. Water makes up the biggest part of your blood. It helps your joints, keeps your brain working properly and could even help your headache!

Apart from in our homes, I see this at cafés and food courts. Coffee or tea (which actually dehydrate) with a “sweet” snack, or that imminent bottle of soft drink that completes a lunch order.

But where’s that glass of water? 

Refined, high-starch foods literally soak up vast quantities of water as they go through our digestive systems. Laxatives do the same. 

Judith Wills’ A Flat Stomach in 15 days, talks about the importance of water in preventing constipation:

“ … it isn’t just fibre that keeps you regular. I believe that more constipation is caused by not drinking enough water or eating enough citrus fruit than ever was caused by not getting enough bran in your diet!

“Drinking a lot of water will not cause fluid retention, I can assure you. The surplus will simply be flushed immediately out of your system but all that water will keep you regular …”

(Wills, J. (1990). ‘A flat stomach in 15 days’, pp.28–29. Sphere Books Ltd: London.)

One of the visible signs of severe dehydration are dark circles under the eyes. 

Your older family members and friends should be reminded to drink enough water too: it can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections which are often accompanied by confusion and feeling disoriented.  

Lastly, we must remember our Colon, the large intestine. To get rid of the waste released by the small intestine, it needs water to form stools that can be eliminated completely and easily. (Hopefully, you’ve also now been having your apple and other fibre-rich foods!)

A TV ad tells us we need an anti-bacterial solution to get rid of the scum in our washing machines. Far more important are the leftovers in our Colon, that must complete its final rinse with water!   

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