"Prevention is better than cure".

Praevenic is Latin for Prevention and is one of the six principles of Naturopathy. Prevention is better than cure - we've all heard that.

In naturopathy, Praevenic involves 'cleaning up' the body to create an environment that encourages healing and optimal functioning. Contrary to popular believe, the body CAN heal itself and doesn't always require pharmaceutical medication to get there. This is referred to as physiological homeostasis.

With that said, here are 5 reasons why you should make sure you are well hydrated each day.

1. Dehydration habits

Most people don't drink enough water throughout the day and combine that with other lifestyle habits such as drinking tea, coffee, sugary or carbonated drinks like sodas, it can all encourage the body to lose more water. Whilst the advice can vary somewhat, at the minimum, we should be aiming for drinking 2 litres of water a day and avoiding drinks that act as diuretics (cause increased urination).

2. Science of water

Water is vital to achieving balance in the body - considering the body is made up of around 70% water. It helps to maintain the pH levels and mineral balance in the body and every last cell in the body contains at least some water. Any substance in our body which flows, contains water which means we need water to make blood, lymph, digestive secretions (including bile) and mucus. Our joints need water to stay supple and lubricated. Our bodies remove wastes and toxins by moving them for elimination via urine and sweat which are largely watery substances.

3. Skin and youthfulness

One area that I know most people are keenly interested in is our skin! Ditch those chemical filled cosmetics and just drink more water for that youthful, clean and clear skin. Our skin needs plenty of water to prevent it from drying out and you may have noticed in the warmer months your skin may be more dry than usual. Combined with airconditioning or heating in the colder months, we have a constant source of dehydration on our skin which is why it's super important to stay hydrated, especially given as the skin is our largest bodily organ.

4. Heart health

Something that may not be common knowledge is that if we are dehydrated constantly from not drinking enough water or drinking diuretic fluids (tea, coffee, alcohol), it can create higher blood pressure in the body. When your body is dehydrated, the body releases a chemical to instruct the kidneys to retain water, which can prevent you from losing more water through urination. Blood vessels constrict, which then causes your blood pressure to increase. Any way to avoid unnecessary stress on our cardiovascular system is preferred, for obvious reasons.

5. Sleep and mind

Unfortunately, most people who are dehydrated may experience poor quality or lack of sleep due to increased tiredness and headaches and existing stores of minerals being depleted in the body. It may sound odd that if you are more tired then why does it affect your sleep? Well dehydration can affect the sleep hormone, melatonin. If you're constantly dehydrated it can reduce your levels of essential amino acids which are needed to produce melatonin, throwing off your circadian rhythm and make it difficult for you to stay asleep. This then turns into a viscous cycle being tired and needing sleep due to not getting enough hydration and the effects of the body not being able to heal and detox sufficiently during its key sleeping time.

This can often result in negative affects on our mood and mindset with some studies linking lack of hydration and mental health states such as depression, confusion and fatigue. Our brain is about 75% water matter!

If any or all of these have resonated with you, it may be you need to drink more water throughout the day.

Start with a cup (about 250mL) of good quality water first thing in the morning as this will help flush out toxins and waste that the body has been working to eliminate during the sleep. It helps organs such as the liver to stay in good health and functioning well. You can add fresh lemon juice to your water or mint leaves if you want some added healthy 'flavour'.

Maintain your water intake throughout the day, even if it means keeping a drink bottle with you and aim to have consumed 2 litres by dinner time. That way if you do drink tea or coffee, the diuretic effects will be offset by your water consumption and your body (and skin!) will thank you for it.