This is What Happens When You Drink A Gallon of Water Every Day

The recommended intake for water is 8-10 glasses, but what happens when you drink a gallon of water every day?

Sarah Smith, a 42 year-old mother of two children never drank enough water. She suffered from indigestion, headaches, poor kidney function, and skin breakouts among many other issues. She decided to do a self-imposed experiment, where she would drink 3 litres of water per day, every day, for an entire month and see what changed. The results? Astounding!

After just 1 week of drinking a gallon of water every day, Sarah noticed that her bowel function improved, and her urine noticeably clearer (which helped flush out her poorly functioning kidneys). Her headaches were gone, and morning joint stiffness disappeared.

Week 2 showed significant skin improvements, and a flatter stomach, along with vanishing cellulite. Week 3 blessed her with disappearing eye wrinkles and dark circles, along with plumper and healthier looking skin. She also noticed her appetite and hunger signals reduce, mainly because she was reading her thirst signals as hunger signals instead, which caused her to overeat before she started the experiment.

By the end of week 4 she looked like a completely different person. She was more fit, leaner, and her appearance had her looking in her mid-30’s instead of 40’s. The amazing thing is, is that nothing else in her daily routine changed, except for the fact that she upped her water intake.

When I went raw vegan I discovered the importance of drinking enough water. Not only does it help you realize true hunger when it hits, but it makes your skin supple and hydrated. Before I started drinking a gallon of water per day, I used to constantly scratch my legs until the point of bleeding (yes, it got that bad).

Now, given I also increased my consumption of fresh, juicy fruit and vegetables, it is no surprise that my extreme leg dry-ness went away, but it goes to show just how much a few extra litres of water per day can do.

Just like plants require water to flourish, our body depends on water to function properly. The body cannot store water and must have a fresh supply every day in order to perform basic metabolic processes. In fact, the body is made up of about 50-75% water, and forms the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine, perspiration and is found in almost every cell of the body, including muscle, fat and bones.

It is known that our bodies lose about 2.5-3 litres of water per day, with levels increasing beyond that when in hot weather or with prolonged exercise. Now imagine drinking 3-4 cups of water per day. That is merely 1 litre of water, creating a deficit of 1.5-2 litres. What does this result in? Chronic dehydration that shows itself in every aspect of your body.

Water is needed for a variety of functions in the body. This includes:

• protecting your tissues, spinal cord and joints
• regulating body temperature through sweat
• aiding digestion and preventing constipation
• moistening the skin
• helping eliminate waste products via the body’s metabolism, excess electrolytes (like sodium) and urea
• maintaining every cell of the body
• helping blood flow easily through blood vessels
• moistening the mucous membranes (like those in the lungs and mouth)
• helping the lymphatic system flow and pump properly
• preventing bladder infections by ensuring proper urine flow
• carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells
• helping the fetus in pregnancy by acting as a shock absorber

Not drinking enough water results in a faulty immune system, and can increase the risk of kidney stones, and in women, urinary tract infections. It can lead to over-eating, lethargy, poor mental performance, mood changes, dry nasal passages, and so much more.

Take the 30-day challenge, and start drinking more water today! Aim for at least 3-4 litres of water daily. Wake up with 1 litre of warm lemon water to start, then drink 1 litre 20 minutes before lunch, another litre 20 minutes before a mid-day snack, and another litre 20 minutes before dinner (or break this one up to drink half before dinner and half an hour or two before bed).

Let me know in the comments below how you’ve felt by upping your water intake. I’d love to know!