Ah, the magic elixir…it’s the secret to losing weight, having a clear complexion, achieving a good night’s sleep and it’s even been rumored to fold laundry. Ok, so maybe not the last one (I’m still on the hunt for some one/some thing to do that for me!) but this “secret formula” has had claims to all the above and more. So what is this mysterious potion you ask? And how can I get some? Well, amazingly enough, it’s water. Simple H2O.

Copious water consumption has been linked with a myriad of powers from improving skin to increasing energy to enhancing one’s love life. How much of this is true and how much of it is all just good marketing she ponders as she sips some of her very non-water like coffee.

As you probably remember from biology class, we humans are made up mostly of water. In fact, 2/3 of our body weight is water: blood is 83% water, muscles are 75% water, brain is 74% water and bone is 22% water. We are our own personal waterworld.


Lack of water in the body really throws a wrench into our systems. Dehydration poses problems for our blood’s circulation abilities; it causes our brain to become less active and makes us feel tired and lethargic. Water keeps the digestive system in order and flushes out the waste products from our body. Water also acts as a natural purifier, by removing toxins and waste, hence the rich glowing skin of committed water drinkers.

Ok, that all sounds good, but what about weight loss? Wouldn’t you love to know that the secret to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight was right there, in your kitchen all along? I would, so I did a little research. While there was evidence to prove otherwise, the majority of research does support the fact that if you drink it (water), it will go (weight). How? Why?

In simple terms, water suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolise stored fat. Basically, the kidneys can't function properly without enough water. And when they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolise stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolises less fat and therefore more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. There’s more to it than that, but that about sums it up. But, how much is necessary? I know what you’re thinking, you’re busy, and you don’t have time to be running to the bathroom constantly.

Unfortunately there is no clear-cut answer as to how much water to drink per day, because it depends upon a number of factors like your current weight (overweight people need more water than those at a healthy weight), activity level, climate, etc. On the average, a person should drink eight, 250ml glasses every day. That's about 2 liters. You can and do get water from many of the foods you eat (fruits and veggies) but that doesn’t really count towards your water quota. However, you can count non-caffeinated drinks as part of your water consumption but if it’s not, non-caloric you may be doing more harm than good. So, read the label before you gulp it down. Many believe the water you drink should be cold. But, if you prefer warm water with lemon, go for it. Just drink it. Bottom line, water is good for us. It’s cheap and accessible and it may be just thing we needed for a little extra zip in our step. And who knows, it could be the trick to finally losing those last five pounds.

Next up: Itchy and scratchy…combating dry skin.