Many of us believe drinking liquids like fruit juice, tea, or soda will keep the body hydrated as well as water. The truth is these beverages contain copious amounts of sugar and salt that are absorbed and then flushed out of our system with the help of... water. Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day helps prevent not only a dry mouth and throat, but also the onset of several disease and illnesses.

In the U.S., 3.9 trillion gallons of water are consumed per month, with the average American using 176 gallons of water per day, according to Save The Water. Although we can survive for a month or so without eating food, we can only do a week or so without drinking water. Since the average human body is 75 percent water, with blood 92 percent water, bones 22 percent water, and muscles 75 percent water, it’s no surprise our immune system depends on our water intake.

In Get Skinny Be Happy’s infographic “Got Water? Why Dehydration Is Making You Fat And Sick,” it states the process of dehydration starts even before we begin to feel thirsty. Sipping water throughout the day is the best way to combat thirst. Drinking a nice cool glass of water as soon as we awaken will help boost up blood pressure to normal levels and become a way to prep the stomach before ingesting foods.

Keeping the body fully hydrated is essential for heart health. When the body is dehydrated, the blood becomes thicker causing resistance to blood flow, resulting in elevated blood pressure. Dehydration can also lead to a rise in blood cholesterol. This is the body’s response to prevent water loss from the cells. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can further increase the risk of coronary heart disease, says the American Heart Association.

Dehydration can also lead to an increased risk of obesity, affiliated with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer, among many others. However, this can be prevented by drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. This can help keep weight off for at least a year.

Regularly drinking water speeds up our metabolism and makes us feel more “full” while promoting good physical, mental, and emotional health.

Got Water? Why Dehydration is Making you Fat and Sick – Infographic

Infographic Source: GetSkinnyBeHappy.com