Yes yes – we’ve all heard that it’s important to stay hydrated, but it’s hard to remember to grab your water bottle when you’re dashing out of the house in the morning! But as hard as it can be to remember all the other things you have to do in a day, staying hydrated it’s important for your body for many reasons, your skin being one of them.
Approximately 60% of the human body is water, and of that around two-thirds is inside our trillions of cells, which are around 70% water. That’s a lot of water, and our bodies need our help each day to freshen the supply to keep everything functioning well. Even mild dehydration can affect how well the body functions, including brain function, the immune system and physical performance.
If we think of our body as a lake that is teeming with fish (cells), as a lake is dependent on a fresh water supply to maintain the ecosystem and keep the fish happy and healthy, so are we. When our bodies are hydrated toxins are flushed out and nutrients get to where they need to go, new cells are generated faster, and everything functions better.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and a place where our levels of hydration are clearly visible. When we are hydrated, our skin appears fresher and more radiant, plumper, softer and smoother. Dark circles under the eyes are lessened and the eyes appear brighter and less sunken. The elasticity of the skin improves, as does the barrier function of the skin.
So how much water should we drink every day, and does it have to be plain water? Well, an average weight, healthy adult living in a temperate climate needs to drink around 1.5L of water a day. So, if you hit the gym or the beach, or if you’re unwell, you need to up your water intake further. Having said that, it is possible to drink too much, as the kidneys can only filter up to one litre an hour, and drinking more than this can cause electrolyte levels in the blood to fall. Little and often is the best way to stay hydrated.
Try an experiment of drinking 1.5 – 2 litres of water every day, sipping it throughout the day, for two weeks, and see if you notice a change in your skin. Take a before and after photo and have a look at the difference!
Cheers! xx
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