Drink Water! “Water (check out the link) is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.” …Mayo Clinic

Weight loss

One of the benefits of drinking water is you are replacing high-calorie drinks such as juice or soda. Often when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. With water having no calories, it makes a perfect choice and can help suppress appetite when drinking it before eating.

Energy

If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Dehydration can leave you feeling tired. Water helps rev up energy.

Headache

Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. Obviously, there are many reasons for headaches, but dehydration is a common cause.

Skin (check out the link)

Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. If there is a buildup of toxins that have not been properly eliminated via kidneys they get flushed through the skin and acne results.

Digestion

Water, along with fiber can help with constipation, which is often a result of dehydration. Our digestive system needs plenty of water to digest food properly. Also, water can help cure stomach acid problems.

Cleansing

Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

A reminder about POSTURE…

Our posture affects us more than we might think. There are many causes for ‘bad’ posture including: tight muscles, overweight, and sleeping positions. Here (Mayo Clinic)  are some great tips for working on improving your posture. Use a pillow between your knees if you are a side sleeper. Regularly stretch your neck, back, shoulder and pectoral muscles. Stand straight and elongate your spine, lifting your head up. Of course, you don’t want to make it so you are uncomfortable, but it improves your posture immensely. Plus, you feel more confident. It also looks more attractive.

The glorious sun.. Sunshine is good for you in many ways. Obviously, we need to be cautious with the danger of skin cancer. Here are some wonderful benefits of partaking of the gift of sunshine:

1. We get a large portion of our Vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium; in essence it helps keep bone and teeth healthy.

2. Sun can boost our level of serotonin, which is a happy hormone.  Mayo Clinic explains serotonin here.

3. The higher serotonin levels due to sun exposure help suppress appetite.

3. Being outside in sunshine warms your muscles which can reduce pain and stiffness.

4. A small amount of sun exposure (5 -15 minutes) unprotected can aid in later protection from sunrays.

5. Sunrays can aid in treating jaundice.

6. Sun helps the kidneys through the elimination of waste with sweating.

7. Studies have shown that lowered levels of Vitamin D can cause a rise in Cholesterol levels.

These are some pretty wonderful reasons to get outside! I have only listed a few of the many great health benefits of the sun. Remember to be cautious of the damaging effects of the sun.

My husband and I feel so proud of ourselves when we get our 15 or so minutes of sunshine!