Pages

Wednesday 2 January 2019

No it’s not fake, of course it’s real (17 GIFs)

13 Best Foods to Cleanse Your Colon

Not only will these foods help protect your gut—they all happen to be delicious and nutritious additions to your diet. Check out these wonderful foods that cleanse your colon.

What does your colon do, anyway?


Though your small intestine does the heavy lifting when it comes to digesting food, the colon’s function is to suck all the moisture out of that food, says Michael A. Valente, DO, a colorectal surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. “Your colon draws the water back into your system to hydrate you,” he adds. And yes, it also stores and helps eliminate waste—a good reason to seek out these foods to cleanse your colon.

Your diet matters


Just like your food choices impact your heart, brain, and muscles, they also affect your colon. “In order for your colon to be healthy, you need to put the right foods in,” says Dr. Valente. 

Here’s why your colon needs care

Colon cancer is on the rise in young people—for the first time ever, notes the American Cancer Society. While experts aren’t exactly sure why, “we think the environment, including a worsening diet, is playing a role in this increase,” says Dr. Valente.

Load up on quinoa and brown rice


Your focus should be on whole foods as close to the state in which Mother Nature made them as possible. Minimally processed whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa, are a great place to start, says Dr. Valente. These are packed with fiber, which is why they’re among the top foods that cleanse your colon; eating three servings daily lowers colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent, per a 2017 report from the Harvard T Chan School of Public Health.

Add beans and lentils


Legumes like beans and lentils are also loaded with fiber. People who eat the most fiber from vegetable sources like legumes are 35 percent less likely to have colon polyps—a small clump of cells in the lining of the colon that can develop into cancer—compared to those who eat the least. These legumes may also contain cancer-protective phytochemicals, researchers say. 

Supplement with chia


Eating just 2 tablespoons chia seeds will give you a whopping 10 grams of fiber, as much as 40 percent of your daily needs. (Aim for 25 to 35 grams daily, advises Dr. Valente.) There’s a reason why you want to hit this mark: “Fiber moves stool through your colon and brings toxic chemicals and other substances like cholesterol out of your system,” he explains. Nutrients within fiber may also affect the colon on a cellular level to guard against disease.

Load up on broccoli, cauliflower, and kale


Talk about foods that cleanse your colon: Some of the best sources of fiber come in veggie form. One study found that eating a serving of cooked green veggies lowered colon cancer risk by 24 percent compared to those who ate less than that. Since it’s not always practical to track fiber grams, and easier method is to make sure two-thirds of your plate comes from fiber-rich veggie sources like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, says Dr. Valente.

Fill up on salmon, sardines, and trout


For people who have colorectal cancer, those who increased their intake of omega 3s from fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and trout had a lower risk of mortality compared to those who avoiding fish, finds research published in the journal Gut. Omega 3 fats may stop cancer cell growth and even promote the death of colon cancer cells.  

Eat more walnuts


Not only do walnuts supply a couple grams of fiber per ounce (14 halves), but they also contain omega 3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, which is why Dr. Valente recommends them among the foods that cleanse your colon. Animal research suggests that walnut consumption breeds a healthier gut environment and may reduce the development of cancerous colon tumors.

Dish up yogurt


Fermented dairy products like yogurt pack gut-healthy probiotics. Eating plenty of yogurt may cut your risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 38 percent, suggests research published in the International Journal of Cancer. Bonus: The probiotics—healthy bacteria—can also help decrease some of the gas associated with eating beans and cruciferous veggies, says Dr. Valente. 

Avoid these foods

The things you cut from your diet will help protect your colon as well: Avoid processed meat (like bacon and hot dogs)—the World Health Organization has classified it as a carcinogen. Also, limit red meat; if you want animal protein, stick to poultry and fish. And cut back on alcohol—stick to a drink a day, recommends Dr. Valente.

It’s OK to supplement


Don’t expect a fiber supplement to make up for a lousy diet, but the truth is that doctors know how tough it can be to maximize your fiber intake from food alone. Dr. Valente says that it’s OK to take a fiber supplement—just check in with your doctor and make sure you’re also eating vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Check out 30 ways to get more fiber into your diet without even trying.



Go slow


If you’ve decided to eat more fiber, add it to your diet gradually, warns Dr. Valente. “The breakdown of food in your colon produces bacteria that release gas,” he says. That can translate to uncomfortable gas and bloating and frequent bowel movements. The experience can be so unpleasant that some people give up on their healthy choices altogether. Start by adding a high-fiber serving of, say, veggies a day for a week; then go up to two a day. Note that you’ll also need to drink more water as you eat more fiber, warns the Cleveland Clinic. If you’re adding a fiber supplement, start with one teaspoon daily; after two weeks, take two teaspoons daily; after a month, you can take the entire suggested serving. Your gut will thank you.

Gallbladder Diet: The Best 9 Foods to Eat for a Healthy Gallbladder

One main job of your gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ just beneath your liver, is to digest fat. When it’s not working right, you might get acid reflux, gas, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. There’s no gallbladder diet, per se, but certain foods can keep your gallbladder in prime shape—while others may make its job harder.

Flaxseed


Fiber keeps the digestive system moving, which helps to usher toxins and old bile out of the body, but when we don’t get enough fiber, these unwanted substances can build up. Sluggish bile flow, in particular, can cause a host of symptoms including bloating and constipation. Women should aim for 25 grams of fiber per day, while men should aim for 38 grams (or 21 and 30 grams daily, respectively, for those older than 50), according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Ground flaxseed makes an excellent fiber supplement and can be added to cereal, smoothies, and juices to increase fiber intake,” says Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist in Mount Pleasant, SC. (One tablespoon of flaxseed has about 2.8 grams of dietary fiber.) “As an added benefit, you get healthy, gallbladder-friendly fats in the form of plant-based omega 3s,” he says. 

Avocados


When it comes to potassium-rich foods, avocados rank high for a gallbladder diet. “This is a superfood that is rich in healthy fats and very high in potassium,” says Carrie Burrows, PhD, a nutrition scientist in Orlando, FL. “Potassium is an essential nutrient for fluid and electrolyte balance that keeps us hydrated.” Most of us are chronically dehydrated, which leads to a number of health issues including gallstones, she says. “Gallstones form when bile is too thick, so being hydrated helps keep bile at the right consistency so you can prevent the formation of gallstones.” Gallstones may also form if bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts. Reduce your risk by including sliced avocados with your lunchtime salad or adding them to your morning toast.

Beans


There are many health benefits of beans, so it’s no surprise that they’re a gallbladder diet all-star. “A meal high in fat stimulates more bile release,” explains Sheila Reddy, MD, a gastroenterologist with Austin Gastroenterology in Texas. “When there is too much fat or cholesterol in your diet, it can crystallize in the bile and form gallstones.” Cutting back on meats and focusing instead on eating a plant-based diet can improve cholesterol levels and help reduce the risk of developing gallstones, she says. “Plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, and tofu are excellent replacements for fatty red meat, one of the major culprits of gallbladder inflammation,” adds Dr. Bulsiewicz. If you need more suggestions, these are the healthiest plant-based proteins you can eat. Prevention is key, but each year about 600,000 people undergo gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy), and this changes the game a bit, says Bulsiewicz. There is no gallbladder removal diet but “fatty foods such as fried foods, cheese, ice cream, and meat should be consumed in moderation after cholecystectomy,” he says. “Without a gallbladder, you cannot adequately digest fat and, as result, get malabsorption and diarrhea.”

Oranges


Oranges are one of the healthiest fruits for your body. “Vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits and berries are another great choice for a healthy gallbladder,” says Bulsiewicz. “Studies have shown that Vitamin C may have a preventative effect against gallstones.” In fact, a study by German researchers found that adding a little extra vitamin C daily can cut risk of gallstones in half. And oranges aren’t the only C-rich food either. 

Bitter greens


Bitter greens may be one of those healthy vegetables you never knew you liked—and they’re great for setting up healthy fat digestion. “Eating bitter foods like okra, endives, broccoli rabe, and bitter artichoke before fatty foods will stimulate bile production,” explains Tara Nayak, ND, a naturopathic doctor in Philadelphia. “When the gallbladder doesn’t produce enough bile or when its release is blocked, symptoms occur.”

“Bitter is better,” adds David Friedman, a clinical nutritionist and alternative medicine practitioner in Wilmington, NC, and the author of Food Sanity: How to Eat in a World of Fads and Fiction. Other bitters include arugula, leeks, kale, dill, dandelion greens, parsley, and pickled ginger. “Bitter foods act to stimulate digestive juices and healthy bile production [and] the more bitter, the stronger the digestive action created; from the first taste, bitters induce the flow of juices in your mouth, which is the very start of the digestive process.” 

Dark, leafy greens


Dark leafy greens—think spinach and broccoli—are loaded with magnesium, which has a role to play in any gallbladder diet, Nayak says. This is important because many gallstones contain calcium. “Magnesium helps us clear calcium so it doesn’t build up and form gallstones,” she says. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in magnesium, she adds. 

Water


Well technically, water isn’t a food, but staying hydrated is important for many aspects of health and well-being. In case you needed more proof that you should be drinking more water, gallbladder function is on that list. “Water is needed for all secretions in the body including bile, so you want to stay hydrated,” Nayak says.

Beets


Here’s one of the health benefits of beets you never knew: Beets contain betaine, a substance that helps protect the liver and stimulate the flow of bile to break down fat. This is why they should be a staple in a gallbladder diet. “Drink beet juice, beet soup, or even add beets to a smoothie to get the benefits,” Nayak says.

Sauerkraut


We hear a lot about the importance of keeping our gut bacteria in balance because when the bad bugs outnumber good ones, it can cause a host of symptoms including some that affect the gallbladder. “Keeping the gut balanced will reduce the need for bile and take pressure off the gallbladder,” Nayak says. Probiotic-filled foods including fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, and Kombucha can help restore this balance and have a role in a healthy gallbladder diet. Although you might think yogurt is a good source of probiotics, it’s not necessary a friend to the gallbladder. “Yogurt with active cultures can irritate the stomach, so it’s best to avoid dairy for gallbladder health,” Nayak adds. But a nutritious diet isn’t the only health concern for this organ. 

7 Foods Men Should Eat More of—and 5 That Should Be Avoided

You might make the gym every so often, or hit the links on nice weekends. Nice start, but it’s the foods you eat, guys—and the ones you skip—that really impact your health.

Eat more: fatty fish


No matter how old you get, how long you can run, how much iron you pump, or how many expert tips you follow for your heart, the old ticker is always going to need a little extra TLC, according to registered dietitian Cara Walsh. You want to make sure that your circulation is strong so you can keep moving at whatever pace you set for yourself. Fatty fish—like salmon, tuna, trout, and sardines—are good additions to your meal plan, she says. “The healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are a good source of Vitamin D, which is especially low in men’s diets should be eaten at least twice a week,” she notes. These are the superfoods that every healthy man needs in his diet.

Eat less: junk food

You probably don’t need us to remind you that your late-night or last-minute junk food cravings are not the best idea for your health, considering your girlfriend, sister, or mom already give you a hard time about it. But, especially as you age, french fries, cookies, and sugar-filled baked goods can raise your risk for life-altering conditions, according to Walsh. “French fries are cooked in unhealthy oils, a major cause of heart attacks. The potatoes themselves are not that healthy and eating too many of them can increase a man’s insulin levels,” she explains. “And cookies, muffins, and doughnuts are filled with insane amounts of sugar. All baked goods cause rapid weight gain and poor digestive function.” Just be sure to avoid the worst foods you could ever hope to eat.

Eat more: berries


Remember sneaking a handful of blackberries out of your neighbor’s backyard as a kid? Sprinkling blueberries over your cereal? Or when you were barely making ends meet and fresh fruit was an expensive treat? Now that you’ve mastered the whole adulting thing, Walsh says it’s time to make sure you’re munching on berries regularly. “Berries have amazing antioxidants that can help slow the decline in brain functions that occur with aging. Men can easily add berries to a breakfast cereal, oatmeal, in a smoothie or eat as a snack,” she says.

Eat less: canned soup


Yes, when you’re cooking for yourself and you need something fast and filling, it’s hard to beat a packaged, overly-processed microwaveable meal or canned soup. It might be cheap and convenient, but that’s mainly due to the fact that they’re filled with ingredients that won’t do your body any good, Walsh explains. “All of the health benefits of the broth, protein, and vegetables have been taken out of the soup to make it last longer,” she says. “Adding to that, one can of soup has more than enough sodium to send your blood pressure soaring.” 

Eat more: whole grains


The American Heart Association is pretty straightforward about this: Make whole grains part of your heart-healthy diet thanks to its high-fiber benefits. Especially for middle-aged men, whole grains do more than make your heart stronger, they fill you up with the nutrients, too. Registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD recommends creating a sandwich your stomach can get behind. “My favorite source of whole grains for men is organic whole grain bread, like Dave’s Killer Bread. In just one slice of their 21 Whole Grains and Seeds bread, a guy will get 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein and 22 grams of whole grains. That way, men can get their whole grains with their turkey sandwich,” she says.

Eat less: fatty meats

Truth: bacon is delicious. Also true: It’s not exactly the best protein choice for a man’s diet. Rizzo explains fatty meats like bacon and sausage are loaded with sodium and saturated fats, two things that have been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. “Men usually get plenty of lean protein from chicken and fish. I recommend only eating fatty meats sparingly and in moderation,” she says. So bacon-and-eggs with the family on Saturday? Totally fine. But every day? Grab some healthy foods like oatmeal and fruit instead.

Eat more: sauerkraut


Fun fact: 70 percent of our immune system resides in our gut. But, as Rizzo says, too few people—especially men—forget to take probiotics or carve out a diet that helps maintain our stomach’s happiness and health. The good news is that many healthy foods—like the sauerkraut you plop on top of a hot dog or burger—are great for the bacteria in your gut and easy to digest. “I recommend my male clients put Farmhouse Culture Kraut atop a turkey burger or chicken breast because it not only tastes great, but it’s also an organic sources of probiotics. They also make Kraut Krisps which are a nice addition to a sandwich,” she says. Nutritionists never, ever eat these foods—so you shouldn’t either. 

Drink less: beer


Don’t shoot the messenger! It’s Rizzo that says while one glass of beer a day is totally fine, more can lead to weight gain and chronic diseases; at the top of her lengthy list are: “Liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, various cancers, high blood pressure; and psychological disorders.” Limit yourself to a glass of beer followed by a full glass of water—that will help keep you from reaching for seconds, thirds (and so on and so forth).

Eat more: dark vegetables


With that side of salmon you’re going to start adding to your dinner plate, you want to pair it with the right kind of vegetables. Rizzo says that dark-colored vegetables are a smart side companion to a healthy meat choice, giving more health pizzazz on your plate. “Beets and kale are packed with antioxidants that fight against oxidation in the body. This protection from oxidative stress also protects from inflammation in the joints associated with arthritis, heart disease and possibly cancer,” she says. 

Eat more: nuts and seeds


Next time you’re packing a snack for your gym bag or when you’re heading on a trip, consider stopping by for a pack of almonds or sunflower seeds that will not only keep you full, but maintain your health while on the go. “Nuts provide healthy fat as well as a variety of minerals and antioxidants needed for health—especially for the heart,” Registered dietitian Bridget Swinney MS, RD, says. “Nuts are a good source of vitamin E, which can help decrease arterial plaque by protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation.”

Her top picks include sunflower seeds and almonds, as they pack the most punch. “Eating an ounce of nuts as a daily snack is a way to get healthy fats as well as eating something that’s filling and satisfying,” she says.

Eat fewer: fast food burgers


Your child might want a quick bite from the fast food menu at the local burger joint, but instead of getting an adult-sized version for yourself, Swinney recommends holding off—maybe try making your own using one of these 17 amazing burger recipes. Why? She says that most fast food burgers contain 50 to 100 percent of your daily sodium requirements and all of your saturated fat for the day. “Sodium causes fluid retention and increases blood pressure in many people,” she explains. “Even burgers at a restaurant will contain more fat and sodium than those you make at home. For burger lovers who love to eat out, look for turkey burgers, buffalo burgers, grass fed beef burgers or try a veggie or salmon burger.”

Eat more: Avocado


Swinney explains that avocado is one of the healthiest fruits because it offers a large dose of monounsaturated fat and potassium, which is great for blood pressure. “Avocados also have fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid. Vitamin E and folic acid are potent antioxidants good for overall health,” she notes. Consider starting your morning off with a whole grain toast, loaded with avocado and served with a side of berries.

Detox Diets Aren't Real or Healthy — and Body 'Toxins' Don't Exist

It happens every time the new year rolls around: You start seeing ads for cleanses. Trendy diets are pushed on social media to start in the new year. Celebs keep peddling those "flat tummy teas" that don't actually work. Most of all, the word "detox" starts getting thrown around an awful lot — but what does it actually mean? Of course, this phenomenon is far from new. But now, with words like "retox" and "pretox" entering the lexicon, it seems like a good time to send a reminder that, when it comes to so-called detox diets or cleanses meant to help you recover from a period of consuming more food than you usually would, there's really no point.
"I would say the bottom line is that there really isn’t any clear evidence that detox or cleansing programs can actually make you healthier or improve your health, or that it removes 'toxins' from your body," Navya Mysore, MD, of One Medical Provider tells Teen Vogue.
Still, Dr. Mysore notes it's something she gets asked about frequently in her practice, from patients wanting to fast before an event (so-called pretoxing) or doing juice cleanses, shake diets, or colonics after a period of eating more or different foods than usual. Generally, Dr. Mysore says she discourages patients from these things for a number of reasons.
"There are a lot of other safety points that need to be considered," Dr. Mysore says. "Right now there's a shake that people are using that has some really awesome ingredients, but a lot of other additives that we don’t really know the safety profile of. They can be harmful."
When it comes to detox teas that celebrities promote on social media, we know those can be dangerous and lead to symptoms like diarrhea and intense stomach cramping. For people with certain conditions, Dr. Mysore notes that things like juice cleanses or shakes can have adverse health effects as well.
Safety is tantamount, but there's also the fact that "detoxing" just isn't necessary. We have organs built into our bodies with the purpose of filtering out the things that we don't need. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the kidneys work to eliminate waste from the body and regulate our fluids — in other words, they get rid of the bad stuff. And according to the National Institutes of Health, the liver also has our back. That organ works to, among other functions, make sure "toxic substances" get filtered out of the body. So, can a juice cleanse really do more than the human body? No, according to Dr. Mysore.
"Your body does what it needs to do, no matter what," she says. "Whether it's on Thanksgiving or January 1, your body is doing what it needs to do."
But in case you need more convincing beyond detoxing not being safe or necessary, it's not even clear whether the "toxins" we're trying to rid ourselves of are real. Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University, told The Guardian in 2014 that detoxing, when it's not the medical kind to help someone with substance use disorder, is largely pseudoscience.
"There are two types of detox: one is respectable and the other isn’t," he said. “The other is the word being hijacked by entrepreneurs, quacks, and charlatans to sell a bogus treatment that allegedly detoxifies your body of toxins you’re supposed to have accumulated.”
As The Guardian article continues, it's unclear what even constitutes a toxin, and Dr. Mysore agrees.
"I wouldn’t say there are toxins in our bodies," she says. "There are things we have excess of. When we take a multivitamin, often our urine is a different color. It's usually excess from what the body doesn’t need. So, I don’t even use the word 'toxins' because it doesn’t really exist."
Categorizing excess as toxins, Dr. Mysore says, is a misnomer. Calling these things toxins implies that we're always doing something bad that needs fixing, when in fact, she says the key to good health is simply, balance.
"It's OK to [...] have a cupcake and enjoy that. But also try to maintain during the week that you are getting what you need to stay healthy," she says. "Whole food, real food, exercise, moving, taking care of your stress level. A lot of what people tend to do is they want a quick fix. It's sort of demystifying that and reeducating."
So, take this as your reeducation. Don't listen to celebrities on Instagram or whatever so-called wellness trends emerge in the new year. Instead, focus on the tried-and-true method of treating your body well. Dr. Mysore recommends drinking water if you feel like you want to "flush out" your system. Beyond that, she stresses getting exercise and eating whole foods. And if you have a period of time in which you don't do those things, that's OK. Ultimately, Dr. Mysore says it's about the bigger picture.
"It's how we take care of our bodies," she says, "that's at the forefront."

7 Weird Things That Happen to Your Body When You Don't Drink Enough Water

It's not exactly a secret that you're supposed to drink water every day — 9 to 12 cups, according to Mayo Clinic. After all, water is essential for your body to simply function.
"Water is the most abundant substance in our body," says Leslie Bonci, R.D., founder of Active Eating Advice. "It makes up about 10 to 12 gallons and anywhere from 60 to 70 percent of our body weight. We need water to survive."
But what happens if you don't drink enough water? Do you...not survive?
Don't panic just yet — chances are slim to none that you'll keel over into a puddle of your former self. But Bonci explains that since you already lose two to four cups in urine, two to eight cups in sweat (depending on your workout and lifestyle), one to one and a half cups from simply breathing, and two-thirds of a cup in feces, it's totally imperative to drink enough water — or you might experience some pretty unfortunate issues that, unlike many of life's problems, cannot be resolved with a hearty glass of wine.

1. You Could Become Constipated

You may not want to talk what happens in the bathroom, but, hey, your (literal) shit's important. If you don't drink enough water, going to the bathroom will become a bit painful. So if you notice your stools looking like visibly dry and pellet-like — or you're having trouble passing a bowel movement — drink up!
"Water helps to push things through the digestive tract and helps with the formation of stools and evacuation of the bowels," says Isabel Smith, R.D., founder of Isabel Smith Nutrition, "so not getting enough water can cause your poop to be dry and hard to pass." And that's, well, shitty.

2. You Might Feel Lethargic

There's a myriad of reasons for feeling wiped out — maybe you didn't sleep well last night because you were stressing about work, or you took a couple days off from the gym and your energy is low, or your period has sucked the life of out of you. But another ~mystery culprit~? Not drinking enough water!
"Even though water does not have calories, cells need water for various metabolic processes, including breaking down the food we eat into usable energy," explains Bonci. "So without adequate fluid, the body has to work harder than it should to generate enough water for these processes." Translation: Low water levels equals low energy levels equals you feeling like hot, stale garbage. Not fun.

3. Your Skin Won't Look So Good

While you may not be able to entirely blame more visible wrinkles on dehydration (because we do not live in an alternative universe where women are immortal, wrinkles are just a de facto part of life), it does definitely play a part. "Water volume helps to keep skin plump," explains Smith. "When you don't get enough, the collagen or elastic tissue in the skin can crack and bind together, increasing the appearance of wrinkles." No miracle elixir made from the sweat and tears of a unicorn required — drinking water can actually help you look younger. 
4. You Could Have Trouble Focusing
Who doesn't feel distracted by photos of her ex's new fiancée on Facebook or the latest news about Kim and Kanye? But if it's really taking you a long time to get through tasks for reasons beyond your procrastination insatiable curiosity about other people's lives, then it could be your lack of H20.
"Your brain is about 80 percent water — believe it or not — so when you're not getting enough of it, your brain can seriously suffer," explains Smith. "You can feel less focused and find it harder to come up with those great ideas."
Hmmm... Maybe that means chugging some water instead of coffee during your afternoon slump.

5. You Could Be More Susceptible to Injuries

Before you jump to any serious conclusions (thanks, Dr. Google Search) about any aches and pains you might be feeling, take a close look at how much water you're actually drinking. If it's not a lot, that might have something to do with your discomfort.
"Being sub-hydrated puts you at risk for hypo or hyperthermia," says Bonci. "Plus, fluid is essential for lubrication of joints and cushioning of organs."

6. Your Weight Loss Might Stall — And You Might Feel Bloated AF

If you think that drinking lots of water means you'll hold onto it in water weight and look bloated, think again! It's actually quite the opposite: You may experience fluid retention from not getting enough water explains, Bonci. "Water also helps to fill you up, so if you're not full from water, you may look to other, less healthy liquids or foods to fill that void, which isn't good," says Smith. Plus, studies show that water intake can actually help to increase calorie burn.
7. Your Muscles Could Get Super Crampy
If you're waking up in the middle of the night with muscle cramps, down some water ASAP. "Water keeps the balance of sodium and potassium to help regulate fluid within and out of the cells," explains Bonci. "Dehydration can disrupt this balance and may contribute to muscle cramping." So whether it's a calf spasm or toe cramp, it could be your body's way of asking you to hydrate — listen to it!