22 Proven Ways Water Makes You Awesome

by DailyHealthPost Editorial

water

3. It helps endurance athletes fight fatigue.

Water is an integral part of most any workout, and it becomes especially important in order to prevent dehydration during long workouts.

When exercising for an hour or more, drinking water treated with carbohydrates and salts (by mixing in tablets such as Nuun, or making a DIY version) can help maintain fluid balance, which aids athletic performance and helps prevent post-exercise fatigue and exhaustion.

4. It might protect against some types of cancer.

Research has found that the greater the fluid intake, the lower the incidence of bladder cancer, with more significant results when the fluid is water.

One possible reason could be that urinating more frequently prevents the buildup of bladder carcinogens. Staying hydrated may also reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.

5. It can improve mood.

Drinking water makes us feel so refreshed that it actually improves our state of mind. You don’t even have to be severely in need of it to benefit: Even mild dehydration has been shown to negatively impact moods.

6. Drinking it may help prevent headaches, naturally.

Going without water for too long causes headaches for some people, and has been identified as a migraine trigger.

The good news is that in a study on the effects of water on headaches, participants experienced “total relief” from their headaches within 30 minutes of drinking water (two cups, on average). Nutritionist Kate Geagan, RD, says a good way to prevent headaches is to stay hydrated throughout the day.

And if you’ve already been hit with a dehydration-triggered headache, you’ll need significantly more water to help it go away. She recommends drinking two to four cups of water for headache relief within one to two hours.

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