Body aches, soreness and fatigue are only some of the problems I faced about six months ago. Getting off the bed in the morning was the worst and going up the stairs had me panting.

I was always tired and felt I was turning 60 instead of 21.

The problem was that my mother wouldn’t take me to the doctor because she didn’t believe me. I don’t blame her; I wouldn’t believe me. Who, in their 20’s, faces back and neck aches?

I hated every move I had to make until one day, as I was looking through the best reads at the Kinokuniya book store, I found a book, with the following quote on its cover, “You’re not sick; you’re thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication.” I was very intrigued to see what it had to say, so I read through 300 pages right then and there. I couldn’t believe what I was reading until I gave it a shot.

As I was going home that day, I drove by a supermarket and bought a pack of one-and-a-half-liter water bottles. I also downloaded an application on my phone called Daily Water Reminder. It reminded me to drink water every two hours. I wanted to drink as much as two liters per day, just as the book said.

At the beginning, throughout the day, I felt sick. I felt as if I had eaten the world. My stomach was bloated and I wanted to vomit. The nights were the worst because my bathroom trips were endless. Trust me when I say that I had to go around 12 times every night. In about a week, I felt fine. I mean, instead of forcing myself to drink water, I felt thirsty even after drinking one-liter or so. It’s as if my body was slowly realizing how much it needed water just as I did.

However, I did not feel the soreness left my body yet. I didn’t give up though because I really wanted a solution. I wanted to be able to walk to my classes without hating my life and I had a feeling that water was the answer.

Fast forward two months, I felt like never before. I was able to start working out again and run a track of 800 meters. Even though my scale said I dropped only one kilogram, I felt as though I was lighter. I ate more, but my weight remained stable. Most importantly, I did not have to think as hard to complete the same tasks and I suffered from less bad moods.

Because I know how difficult it is to trust a person who read a book called Water, I researched how I felt

to back my claims up. The following, according to scientific research, are the benefits of water.

1. Metabolism stagnates

Dr. Howard Murad, in his Water Secret, found that a person’s basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories they burn while resting, speeds up as the body becomes more hydrated.

2. Your brain becomes more active

Scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London found out that drinking water restores the brain to its normal size. Meaning, dehydrated bodies lead to the shrinkage of brains.

3. You will suffer from less bad moods

Researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts found that those who were dehydrated were more likely to report feeling fatigued, confused, angry, depressed or tense than those who were properly hydrated.

To sum up, drink water. Drink enough water that your body will thank you for.

Don’t miss: Skincare 101: Introduction to Clear Skin, 6 Free-Spirit UAE Open Mic Nights We Love