“You aren’t drinking enough water,” I say to every single person I meet. To which I get a variety of different replies.
“I don’t actually need a lot of water.”
“I function better on less water.”
“I don’t like drinking water…”
“Yes, I do! I drink at least 3 glasses a day!”
What do these replies have in common? People are not drinking enough damn water! I hate it when I’m right…
Sadly, most people are just not hydrating properly. Caffeinated teas, coffee, and even juice count…but they’re not ideal for CLEAR skin. Read on.
Why Is Water So Important?
Well, not only are you mostly water, but every cell and tissue in your body needs water to SURVIVE and to function properly. You need water to remove waste, lubricate joints, and regulate heart rate, blood pressure, temperature. Water also helps maintain your metabolism – how you use energy.
The proper balance between water and electrolytes determines how your system functions, including nerves and muscles. Your body doesn’t have to work so hard when you’re properly hydrated.
Your intestine needs water, otherwise it sucks it from the food that’s in the intestine, making for hard-to-pass stools and potentially resulting in constipation.
We’re not only sweating and urinating out water, but water also escapes through our skin. Drinking water offsets transepidermal water loss (evaporation of water through the skin)
“The skin contains approximately 30% water, which contributes to plumpness, elasticity, and resiliency. The overlapping cellular structure of the stratum corneum and lipid content of the skin serves as “waterproofing” for the body.” (Source)
Drinking plenty of water increases the skin’s hydration and also improves skin thickness and density. If your skin is lacking in moisture and elasticity, then it definitely needs a drink.
Signs Of Dehydration
Look out for these symptoms…
- altered mood
- fatigue
- faintness
- rapid pulse
- headaches
- cramping
- reduced motivation
- increased perceived effort
- impaired short-term memory
- dry skin
It takes as little as a 2% loss in water to notice performance issues, and 3%+ to experience real physiological symptoms like increased heart rate and raised temperature.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
This varies according to your lifestyle. If you are athletic (and I think you should be for clear skin) then you need to drink more water. Exercise dulls the feeling of thirst, so you need to drink even if you don’t feel thirsty.
If you’re sitting out in the sun or traveling, then you also need to drink up!
If you’re feeling thirsty, then that means you’re already dehydrated! The way to avoid dehydration, is to hydrate frequently! If you drink before you’re thirsty, then you won’t have to play catch-up with your water intake…
Water is the BEST way to hydrate for clear skin – it’s calorie free and has no negative side effects.
Coffee and juice are technically thirst-quenching because they contain water, but they come with negative consequences for skin…
Caffeine comes with a spike in cortisol, upping your stress or anxiety, which is not good for your skin. It’s also a diuretic which makes you lose some of the fluids that you gained…
While juice comes with a blood-sugar spike throwing your sebum production into overdrive, dulling your metabolism, and making your waistline expand. Plus, sugary juices are hard on your stomach, especially after exercise.
I’d say, ditch everything besides water and herbal teas for clear skin – especially alcohol.
3 Tips To Hydrate Like A Pro
1.Start your day with a warm glass of lemon water. And then wash that glass down with another glass of water. That makes two glasses of water so far!
2.Have a liter (gallon) jar or water bottle around. Instead of filling up a glass 10 times, you can fill up the jar or bottle 3-4 times, making it easier to keep track of the amount of water you’re drinking.
3. Set hourly reminders on your phone to drink at least a 0.5-1 glass of water so that you don;t forget. You might be lost in the flow of your work, but dehydration will make you less focused. Drink up to keep even more on task!
Final Thoughts
I’m going to tell people to hydrate until I’m blue in the face because it’s that important. I’ll be a water crusader until the end of my days…Until age 121…
Dehydration leads to so many unpleasant consequences that are SO easily avoided just by DRINKING MORE WATER. If not for yourself, then do it for me.
Love,
Olena
P.S. I’ve shared my best 28 hacks for clear skin in my 28 Days Of Clear Skin video series. You can sign up to get every single hack in your inbox here!
The Tea I Drink:
Peppermint Tea
Tulsi Tea
Chamomile Lavender Tea – great before bed
