Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Drink Up!: The Benefits of Water

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Duke chapter.

 Chances are you’ve heard countless times that water is important for your general health and overall well-being.  You know that you should drink more water when the weather is hot, and you know that not consuming enough water can lead to dehydration.  But do you know all of the benefits of this magical beverage?  Here’s a crash course in the importance of H2O:
 

Fatigue:
Dehydration can lead to feelings of lethargy and fatigue.  The typical Duke female has to manage many things on her plate every day, so anything that slows us down can become a big problem.  Upping your water intake to ensure adequate hydration will help keep you feeling awake and energized–making you less likely to feel tired and less likely to reach for that caffeine!
 
Thirst: This seems like an obvious one, but since people frequently confuse thirst with hunger, excessive thirst can lead you to eat when you aren’t actually hungry.  Excessive thirst is also a problem because of the simple fact that it can be extremely uncomfortable, so drink up!
 
Detox and Digestion: Water has fantastic detox properties.  It rids your body of many unwanted toxins, which is especially helpful after those crazy parties and wild nights at Shooters.  Water essentially flushes your body of these impurities, and in turn actually relieves bloating and keeps your organs healthy.  Along these same lines, water helps to keep your metabolism in check by aiding digestion.  So to keep your body functioning normally, reach for that H2O.


Fullness:
Many people who have successfully lost weight attribute at least some of their success to water.  Drinking water throughout the day can keep you feeling full, so you are less likely to overeat both in between and during meals.
 
Beauty: Not only does water nourish your insides and keep your organs functioning properly, but the beverage also boasts numerous beauty benefits.  Drinking water has been shown to give you clear eyes and also to improve your complexion.  Bright eyes and better skin?  Yes please!
 
So seriously, drink water.  While health experts do not totally agree about the amount of water you should consume every day, it’s a good idea to start out aiming for about 8 cups per day.  10-12 cups per day is even better!
 
Photo Source:
http://www.osawaterworks.com/images/water%20art-4.jpg
http://liveearth.org/sites/default/files/water_glass.jpg
 

Betty Liu is a senior at Duke University where she is majoring in Biomedical Engineering.  Although her main interests lie in bioengineering, she loves keeping up with the latest trends on Duke's campus. Also, she enjoys learning about new music, reading and travelling around the world. One of her life dreams is to go to all seven continents! So far, she has been to four.