The #1 thing you can start doing today to improve your health and appearance – and it’s FREE!
There are 2 things you can do to improve your overall health and the appearance of your skin that won’t cost you a dime – get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water.
Since it is easier to get people to drink lots of water when it is 110˚ outside, let’s focus on the benefits of drinking water right now. Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. There are numerous health complaints and conditions that can be caused by lack of water: fatigue, confusion, memory loss, dizziness, dry and wrinkled skin, brittle hair and nails, cold fingers and toes, constipation, eczema, headaches, urinary tract infections, and muscle pains. All these could be solved with water right out of your tap!
Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Your body is pretty resourceful and if it’s in need of water it will tap every system in your body to get it, including your blood, cell fluid, intra-cellular fluid, and even your stools and urine. When your body is waging a war internally to get the water it needs, you will experience physical and mental impacts on top of speeding up the aging process, which most of us spend a lot of time trying to slow down!
- Better digestionConstipation and bloating are common side effects of dehydration – when your body drains the water from your digestion system and stools it makes them harder to pass leaving them in your body longer, allowing both bacteria and yeast to flourish in your intestines.
- No more brain fogDehydration and concern about other health ailments can definitely leave you feeling confused and forgetful.
- Wake up feeling refreshed and looking youngerIf you wake up with a puffy face, sunken eyes and dark circles this could be your body’s way of telling you that your kidneys are struggling to do their job – which is to filter toxins, salts and water from the bloodstream. Dehydration keeps them from doing this.
Lack of water will also cause your skin to look dry and wrinkled (picture your house plant that hasn’t been watered in a while) – thus making you appear older than you actually are.
- Curb your cravings and lose body fatAre you constantly hitting the vending machine or pantry looking for sugary, “carby”, or salty treats? Drink a big glass of water and see if it goes away…it usually will. Many times your brain misinterprets thirsty for hungry and sends us searching for potato chips or donuts which will only exacerbate your dehydration.
How much is enough?
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. This obviously is just a guideline and would need to be increased based on the climate you live (yes all of us in Phoenix in the summer need more that the AI noted above), exercise, medical conditions, and whether or not you are breastfeeding.
A picture is worth a thousand words
See the infographic from SOMA on how the lack of water is written all over your face – it is eye-opening!
