Water is the source of all life and it’s the fuel that helps us keep going. It plays a vital role in digestion, blood circulation, the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of toxins. It is responsible for the proper functioning of every organ in our bodies, which includes skin, too.
Skin, just like every organ, is made up of cells that require water to function. That means that when your skin cells are dehydrated, your skin suffers, which makes it look wrinkly and dry. In order to retain that youthful elastic look, you must stay adequately hydrated. So, here’s just how water affects your skin and makes it look glowy and healthy.
Why should you drink water if you want healthy skin?
Our inner organs constantly pull water out of blood to fuel their cells and stay in top shape, but this process leaves blood thicker and water-deficient. Then blood, in turn, absorbs water from the only source left, skin cells. This causes your skin to look dry and your eyes to look sunken and darker. Over time, this dehydrated condition can make you age faster because dry skin is less resilient and elastic.
Dry skin is also more prone to wrinkling and sagging. All this may be improved with proper hydration, but don’t think this means you can over hydrate and look 20 years younger. Once you’re adequately hydrated and all of your organs can function properly, the kidneys will just take the extra fluid and excrete it out.
Another thing you can do to keep your skin well-hydrated is use moisturizers that lock moisture in your skin. They create a barrier that prevents water from evaporating into the atmosphere. It’s best if you hydrate your skin both from the inside and from the outside because then you will have the optimal results.
Eat your water
Staying hydrated just by drinking water can sometimes be hard, but the good news is that around 20% of our daily water intake comes from solid foods, especially water-rich fruits and veggies. They don’t only replenish your fluids and keep you hydrated, but they carry many other great health benefits, too.
You can try eating more foods such as bell peppers, pineapples, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelons. For instance, cucumbers are not only rich in water, but they also contain vitamin C and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritation and swelling. And watermelons are actually proven to be a better cure for dehydration than water because they contain the combination of salts, minerals, and natural sugars. They are also rich in bromelain, a mixture of compounds with potent anti-inflammatory powers, which is great for skin.
Other fluids beneficial for your skin health
As you can see, if you want to hydrate, you don’t have to limit yourself to only water. Aside from eating water-rich foods, you can also drink unsweetened fluids, like fresh fruit juices or low-fat milk, which also feeds bones. Any kind of herbal infusion is great for hydration, especially green tea. It’s full of healthy antioxidants that, among other things, help protect your skin from damage.
How much to drink?
Doctors usually suggest drinking between six and eight glasses of water a day. Check the tap water quality in your home just to be sure you’re not doing more harm than good to your body by drinking contaminated water. If your water is indeed polluted, you can get a cost-effective UV home water treatment that will make your water perfectly clean and odorless. You can check whether you’re consuming enough water by looking at your urine. Very pale yellow urine means you’re healthy and well-hydrated, but if it’s darker yellow, you need to drink more water. On the other hand, if your urine is completely clear, you might be drinking too much fluid.
As you can see, staying hydrated is actually super easy and great for your skin as well as overall health, so do yourself a favor and drink a nice tall glass of water now. Cheers!
Happy Drinking!
What benefits have you noticed from drinking water regularly? Let me know in the comments! I love hearing from you!
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This is such a timely post. I have been struggling getting enough water into my daily diet. I just don’t get thirsty, so I have to force myself to drink. I like the idea of adding foods that have alot of water content to help with intake. I know my skin is so much happier when I drink enough.
Glad it could help! Thanks so much for your comment Kelly! xo xo