WATER WORLD

Did you know water can boost your well- 75

being without even passing your lips?

Get the full story on its replenishing benefits,
from the physical to the psychological.
BY KATE ROCKWOOD

T R AV E L
SELF-CARE
HOME
Jose Luis Stephens/EyeEm/Getty Images
LIFE

YOUR DAILY QUOTA

The age-old advice to have eight cups of water a
FEELING GOOD

day is thought to date back to guidelines that were

published in the 1940s. But if you read closely, the
docs weren’t actually recommending chugalugging
64 ounces, says Aaron E. Carroll, MD, associate dean
for research mentoring at the Indiana University
School of Medicine. That’s because much of your
water intake comes from foods—including fruits,
veggies, and cooked grains (which soak up moisture
while heating)—as well as other liquids, like juice
and coffee. (The myth that coffee dehydrates you and
therefore doesn’t count toward your fluid needs was
debunked by a study published in 2014. In fact, a mug
of joe is just as hydrating as an equal amount of water!)
Still, eight cups of H2O is a good guideline to follow, Healing
to ensure you get all the water you need. But if you’re Power
not into counting ounces, simply pay attention to your
Wallace J. Nichols, PhD, author
thirst, says Dr. Carroll. Your body may crave more of Blue Mind, spent years
hydration on some days than others (for example, if studying the benefits of just
being around water. We asked
you’re very active, or under the weather). And it doesn’t him for a few drops of wisdom.
hurt to keep tabs on your pee: It should be a clear, Why does water have such
pale yellow, and nearly odor-free. a calming influence? It holds
our attention in a way that
experts call “soft fascination.”

Motivation to Drink Up! It’s relaxing but interesting—

very different from looking at,
say, a blank blue wall. Water has
You know that a tall glass of H2O
complexities, but it’s visually
makes you feel good—but ever wonder why, exactly? WAT E R
Being well-hydrated helps you… MADE simplified. So your brain doesn’t
TA S T I E R
turn off, but instead becomes
You can make
your water relaxed and more open to
1 intake for one month even healthier by
had plumper, healthier skin. infusing it with
happiness and creativity.
Focus better.
There’s evidence that losing
nutrient-rich fruits, Are there actual physiologi-
5 veggies, herbs,
just 1 percent and spices. For cal effects, too? It is well-
of body water can affect Feel energized. ingredient combos, documented that being in or
cognitive function. Researchers have linked hold your phone’s
even mild dehydration to camera over the near water can lower the heart
smart code below.
2 frustration and other rate, slow your breathing,
Stay regular. mood-damaging effects. and reduce stress and anxiety.
Plenty of H2O flushes out What if you live far from
6
the GI tract and hydrates your the beach—how can we get
stools so they’re soft. Protect against UTIs.
A JAMA Internal Medicine trial those perks? Maybe you find a
3 published in 2018 found nearby lake. If you hate getting
Ward off headaches. that when women started wet, maybe you vacation in a
When you’re hitting your water drinking more water, they
got fewer of these infections.
spot with a balcony overlooking
target, there’s a
steady volume of blood the water. But some people
flowing to your brain. 7 feel the same effects in the pool,
Maintain your body temp. or the bath. There’s a reason
4 Hovering right at
people sing spontaneously
Look glowy. about 98.6°F is essential
in the shower. The point isn’t
Erin Kunkel

One study revealed that women for the healthy functioning

who upped their water of your entire system. “ocean or nothing.” The point
is to connect with water.

76 JULY/AUGUST 2019 HEALTH.COM

 WATER
WORKOUTS
CAN BUOY

The Truth YOUR SPIRITS,

TOO.

on Tap
Unless your home is hooked up
to a well, the water flowing
from your taps is strictly
regulated by the EPA. But that
doesn’t necessarily mean it’s
safe (sigh). In recent years,
many communities around the
country have discovered their
water supply contains PFAS, a
group of ubiquitous man-made
chemicals that have been
linked to high cholesterol,
cancer, and more. “PFAS are
the newest nationwide
problem,” says Phil Brown,
PhD, director of the Social
Science Environmental Health
Research Institute at
Break a Wet Sweat
Swimming is a great cardio burn—but it’s hardly
Northeastern University in your only option for aquatic exercise.
Boston. “Filtration is always a These water sports challenge your body in fresh ways.
good idea,” he says. Reverse-
osmosis filters are the best for SU RFING Paddling past the crunches.) There’s also your
breakers taxes your shoulders continuous effort to avoid
removing PFAS, followed by toppling into the lake or bay,
and back, while popping up to
activated-carbon filters. ride the waves activates your which strengthens your balance
You can also test your water core and leg muscles—so you’ll and focus.
Water,
get an allover workout even if
at home. Tap Score offers a Water, you’re a newbie who doesn’t last K AYAKING Powering the swift
$249 kit that screens for PFAS Everywhere upright for long. little boat can torch 330 calories
(mytapscore.com). A simpler In many parts of per hour, thanks to the heavy
kit like PurTest Home Water the world, STAND - UP PADDLEBOARDING effort from your shoulders, back,
Analysis ($25; homedepot.com) safe drinking (SU P) All that twisting at the and core. And because you’re
water is waist to propel the board probably enjoying the scenery
will detect other contaminants anything but a
through the water’s chop tones around you, you might push
like lead, pesticides, bacteria, given. Water.org
is working your obliques. (And paddling further than when you do laps in
metals, and more. to change that, is exponentially more fun than the pool.
in part by
offering small,
easy-to-repay
loans that
enable people to With a Twist
bring clean
water into their The Nutrition Twins, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, and Lyssie
homes. To date, Lakatos, RDN, gave us the scoop on three types of enhanced waters:
Woman drinking: Steven Chee/Trunk Archive; swimmer: Felix Hug/Stocksy

the group has

mobilized more
than $1 billion 1 2 3
in donations. Flavored and Plant-Based Functional
Check out
Sparkling OK, so coconut, The jury is still out on
water.org to
learn how you Tempted to try the maple, and cactus whether functional
can help. LaCroix waters aren’t waters—such as
Pamplemousse? Go actually…water. But collagen, hydrogen,
for it. Research has these clear liquids and alkaline—are any
shown that carbon- (derived from more beneficial
ation doesn’t coconuts, maple sap, than the regular
interfere with your and prickly pears, stuff. (The studies
body’s ability to respectively) are still tend to be super
hydrate. Look for a hydrating, with trace small or done on
fizzy drink with zero minerals and mice.) But if you like
calories and no relatively few calories how functional
artificial sweeteners; and sugar. Just stick waters make you feel,
it beats a can of to the unsweetened by all means,
soda by a wide mile. varieties. keep drinking them.

HEALTH.COM JULY/AUGUST 2019 77

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