The human body is more than 60% water. Every day humans have to drink a certain amount of water to survive. This amount varies depending on age and gender, as well as where someone lives. Generally, a human adult male will be required to consume around 3 litres of water each day and an adult female will need around 2.2 litres per day.

Water is essential for humans to regulate the body’s temperature, lubricate joints, form saliva, help flush away body waste through urination, and act as a shock absorber for the brain, spinal cord and foetus. Water is a very important to us to maintain our health and thrive. But what happens if you only drink water for 4 weeks?

Just water

How does drinking water, exclusively, for one month affect the body? Cutting out caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks and replacing it with water may not be as easy as it sounds. Yet some have achieved this and found that there have been significant changes to their health.

Ashlyn Lillibridge took the water only challenge for 28 days. “Drinking water is really important, as it helps our bodies function properly and can prevent headaches and dehydration,” Ashlyn explained. “I decided to drink nothing but water for an entire month. I have never been a coffee, tea or soda drinker, so this month might not have been as hard for me as other people who are addicted to caffeine. Throughout the month I drank extreme amounts of water, even though that was not included in the challenge. I also did not eat any healthier and stuck to my normal snacking and carb habits.” Ashlyn noticed a vast difference in her health feeling increased energy levels, less bloating and her complexion improved.

The healthy choice

• You will notice that you consume fewer calories. A cup of coffee with sugar will contain around 30 calories, a mocha is around 250 calories and a can of coke has 150 calories. Water contains zero calories, so if you are trying to lose weight and chose a healthy beverage, water is the best choice.
• Drinking lots of water will help your brain function better. The human brain is 75 to 85% water, so keeping your brain hydrated will make it work more efficiently allowing you to concentrate for longer periods.
• Water is great for your metabolism. If you start your day with a glass of water, it will fire your body up for the day. A study found that drinking 500ml of water increased a person’s metabolic rate by 30%.
• H20 is the best thing to clear your completion and help you to maintain blemish free healthy skin.
• Researchers have found that consuming more than five glasses of water a day will decrease your chance of having a heart attack by 41%, compared to less than two glasses. The reason for this is that if you are severely dehydrated your blood is thicker, which makes your heart work harder to pump blood around your body.
• Water flushes all the nasty toxins out of your body.