Benefits of Drinking Water: The Kidneys
We often see national holidays celebrating hobbies or foods (like National Waffle Day), but national holidays commemorating awareness of health or safety are doubly important. And luckily, the entire month of March is dedicated to the health of a super-awesome, incredibly-important organ—it’s National Kidney Month.
WHY ARE KIDNEYS IMPORTANT?
The kidneys are arguably one of the most important organs in your body. Between filtering the waste out of 200 liters of blood daily, controlling your blood pressure, balancing bodily fluids and regulating a slew of other things…the kidneys never have a day off. They can, however, become less functioning if you neglect them, and that’s exactly what National Kidney Month wants to prevent.
Giving your kidneys some well-deserved love is surprisingly easy, but unfortunately, the stats don’t show it. In fact, over 30 million Americans have kidney disease without knowing it. It’s no doubt that this is an epidemic. But did you know that simply upping your intake of water can help decrease your risk of kidney-related issues?
LIKE ALWAYS, WATER IS THE ANSWER
Since the human body is made of about 70% water, it’s obvious why replacing that water can have a range of health benefits for your kidneys. Water helps open your blood vessels, allowing essential nutrients to travel easily to the kidneys. But if dehydration sets in, that system becomes more arduous. If prolonged, dehydration can cause kidney damage, and more immediately, kidney stones, which send more than half a million Americans to the ER every year.
HOW TO HYDRATE
But beware: there’s not one fool-proof way to hydrate, and not all water is created equal. Since lifestyles differ significantly, your required water intake can vary. So, before adhering to the cliché, “12 glasses per day,” it’s important to consider your age, climate, exercise intensity, weight, health or pregnancy, all of which can alter your water levels.
On that note, the kind of water you’re consuming makes all the difference, too. While tap water is accessible, it’s not always the safest, because the CDC actually allows a “safe” amount of contaminates, like lead and trace pharmaceuticals, in public water supplies. Bottled water can be risky too, from the plastic bottle itself to possible pollutants in the water, like pesticides or disinfectants.
For the sake of your health, and your kidneys during this National Kidney Month, it’s best to choose better water that makes you feel good about hydrating—like Primo. With our 9-step Reverse Osmosis (RO) purification system, we make sure the only thing you’re consuming is safer, great-tasting water. Your kidneys depend on it!
Looking to drink more water? Download our daily water tracker to help meet your goals!
What other steps do you take to keep your kidneys healthy? Tell us in the comments below!