Could drinking more water keep you younger? You bet it could! While drinking enough water won’t turn back the actual clock, it could help to keep you in tip top health. Our bodies are mostly water – recent estimates suggest about 75% water on average. We lose about 10 cups of water every day just by doing normal, everyday things (breathing, sweating and going to the bathroom). If we don’t put at least that amount back, then we soon feel the effect – and they are visible on our skin.
Hydrating the skin
One of factors that keeps people looking young is healthy, hydrated skin. You can tell when people are properly hydrated because their skin looks so good. In contrast, chronic dehydration can result in dry, lifeless skin which makes people look years older than their true age. Lack of water can also result in more wrinkly skin.
And there’s another thing – if you want to maintain that slim line form you had in your teens and 20s, then a good place to start is by drinking more water. Water removes the toxins in your body. If you don’t drink enough, the body stores these toxins in fat cells. The result? Weight gain – and that can also make people look older than their years.
Health isses
Dehydration can also affect other areas of health, causing conditions such as constipation, digestive and joint problems, issues with the major organs and with the disposal of waste from the body, and much more. People who are dehydrated may feel tired and may have difficulty concentrating.
So, how can you avoid these symptoms and effects? It’s simple – drink enough water. Many people aren’t sure how much water is enough water. The truth is, this varies depending on the circumstances. Women who are pregnant or lactating should drink a couple of liters more a day than other people, and people who are doing heavy manual labor should increase their recommended daily intake by about a liter. For most people, though, the recommended daily amount is either 2.2 liters (women) and 3 liters (men). That’s according to the US Institute of Medicine.
Don’t worry if you haven’t been drinking enough. You’re not the only one. In American alone, estimates are that as many as 50-75% of adults are dehydrated, and that might be the same in your country. To get the benefits of proper hydration, start now. Get a 2 liter bottle, fill it in the morning, and make sure you have drunk it all by the evening. Your skin will be looking better in no time at all!
About the author: Sharon Hurley Hall writes for Eden Springs, the choice supplier for water coolers London and the UK. Now offering the Eden Unlimited plumbed water cooler.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Thiago Felipe Festa.