Now that you are drinking eight glasses of water a day you can increase your health benefits by adding some lemon to your water. Lemons are astringent in nature as well as detoxifying to the body that also create a more alkaline environment. Lemons have antiseptic properties that can help kill bacteria inside the body as well useful in killing bacteria in our external environment.

 Ways to use lemon 
Add a slice of lemon to your water. It adds flavour and is a quick fix for those who find water too plain.

It’s refreshing smell can help wake you up in the morning and have a calming effect on you if you are feeling stressed.

Drinking lemon water will aid digestion. It can help relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn, bloating, gas and cramping. Drinking 1/2 lemon juice in water regularly will aid in the cleansing of the bowels, which helps eliminate constipation and diarrhea. A teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water helps relieve heartburn

Adding the juice of a whole lemon in water can be used as a mild detox for the liver by assisting the liver in the removal of toxins from the body. 
 
Lemons are rich in vitamin C it can help prevent colds and infection 
 
House hold cleaner- use lemon to replace toxic bleach! Ideal for tea or coffee mug stains. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for each mug fill with water and let it sit overnight.

Great for skincare and hair. Give your facial cleansers a boost by adding lemon oil, useful in treating pimples and some skin disorders because it kills bacteria. Add a few drops of lemon oil to shampoo to make your hair shine.


 

Water

Men and women can vastly improve their health by just doing one simple thing - Increase your water intake. By increasing your water intake you are exposed to so many health benefits. Some benefits are immediate like increased energy some you will notice after some time like weight loss.

How much water you should be drink
There area many different methods for calculating your water requirements. An adult should drink about 1- 2 liters of water a day. This depends if you are physically active or not, whether you drink coffee or caffeinated drinks you will need to drink more, do you eats lots of raw foods like salads you may need less. You can calculate how much water you need based on your weight but you will need to factor in the above. A simple equation to help adults figure their fluid needs is



0.5 ounces x Body Weight in Pounds = Daily Fluid Requirement in ounces


Effects of dehydration:
Tiredness
Migraines
Constipation
Muscle cramps
Kidney problems  
Dry skin, and lips
Irregular blood pressure  
Cravings

Functions of water in the body:
  
Transport nutrients and oxygen into cells
Moisturizes the air in lungs
Helps with metabolism (weight loss) 
Helps our organs absorb nutrients
Detoxifies ( bowel movements) 
Protects and cushions our joints 
Regulates body temperature
Protects out vital organs

Symptoms you are dehydrated:
Dark Urine-  Dark yellow or orange colour, urine should be a pale yellow to clear when you have sufficient water intake. 
Strong Smell- indicates that you need to drink more water
Dry skin-  Don’t forget the skin is the largest organ in the body and requires water to function optimally
Thirst-Thirst is the most obvious sign that you are already dehydrated. Its good practice to drink water when you are not  thirsty.
Hunger-Hunger is mistaken a lot for thirst; before you grab a meal have a glass of water first.
Fatigue- water is a source of energy it will give you a boost of energy.


The Benefits of Drinking Water:
Lose weight:
Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of
fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger; it’s an effective appetite
suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. 

Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration.
Although there are many other reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.

Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increase skin elasticity.

Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. You’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises and water helps to fuel your muscle.

Helps in Digestion and Constipation:Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in
digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.

Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so
you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.

Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy:Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments
like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc.  Another words one of the benefits of drinking water can improve our immune
system. 

Relieves Fatigue:
Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks of water, your heart, for instance, need to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so are  you.

Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.

Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a
healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.




Reference:
Tan, Joyce  mangosteen-natural-remedies (www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html) (June 3,  2011)