Water is the Key Ingredient to Smoother Skin, Healthier Bodies and Happier Lives
So jump in and go with the flow!
Water. It makes up 71 per cent of the earth’s surface and up to 60 per cent of our bodies. Aside from oxygen, there’s nothing we need more to survive. And according to researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, it may also make us happier.
Numerous studies have found that water has the power to improve our personal lives. One study they found that women who were mildly dehydrated after a workout reported mood changes, poor concentration and headaches. Others have found that water can help us lose weight: scientists at Humboldt University of Berlin measured people’s metabolic rate after they drank 500 millilitres of water, and noticed an increase in the rate within 10 minutes.
But hydration doesn’t just help your insides — its effects are visible. Water plays a vital role in the function of every organ in your body, including your skin. Your skin is 64% water, and just like the other organs in our bodies, skin is made up of cells that rely on water to function.
So if you’re after dewy skin, strong workouts and overall happiness, H2O will help you get there. Here’s everything you need to know about water, and our top tips for keeping healthy and hydrated.
Nourish
Staying hydrated isn’t just about drinking eight glasses of water a day. Approximately 20 per cent of your daily H2O intake comes from the food you eat. Try quenching your thirst with a handful of blueberries (85 per cent water), carrots (88 per cent water) or cauliflower (92 per cent water).
Glow
Drink eight 250-millilitre glasses of water each day to prevent your skin from being dry, tight and flaky. (Dry skin is less resilient and more prone to wrinkling.)
Skincare starts from within — but it also start with how you hydrate your face. An extra-hot shower may feel good, but it can strip away natural oils, leaving your skin feeling dry and more sensitive. Like most things in life, moderation is key — and so is thinking ahead. Moisturizing immediately after you shower will prevent the dry air from leaching moisture from your skin. And when you do reach for a product, make sure it has hyaluronic acid (ha), one of the hero ingredients in skincare. It holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which means it’s a powerful natural moisturizing ingredient.
TOP TIP: For ultra-hydrated skin, here are a few of the products you should be reaching for.
Photography courtesy of Neutrogena
Photography courtesy of Neutrogena
Photography courtesy of Neutrogena
Photography courtesy of Neutrogena
Sweat
Just by breathing, you lose an average of 250 millilitres of water each day. If you work up a sweat, you lose even more. After a one-hour workout, you can lose several litres of water. Here are three signs you may be dehydrated:
- You feel tired and sluggish when you start your workout.
- You have cramps. Drink 30 millilitres of water for every 10 pounds of body weight one to two hours before you work out.
- Your resting pulse rate may be higher than normal for you.
If you’re a wake-up-and-work-out kind of person, hydration is even more important. You’ve just awakened from an eight- to 10-hour fast, so your body needs to be refuelled!
, carrots (88 per cent water) or cauliflower (92 per cent water).
[caption id="attachment_333534" align="alignnone" width="280"] Photography by Carlyle Routh[/caption]
Glow
Drink eight 250-millilitre glasses of water each day to prevent your skin from being dry, tight and flaky. (Dry skin is less resilient and more prone to wrinkling.)
Skincare starts from within -- but it also start with how you hydrate your face. An extra-hot shower may feel good, but it can strip away natural oils, leaving your skin feeling dry and more sensitive. Like most things in life, moderation is key -- and so is thinking ahead. Moisturizing immediately after you shower will prevent the dry air from leaching moisture from your skin. And when you do reach for a product, make sure it has hyaluronic acid (ha), one of the hero ingredients in skincare. It holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which means it’s a powerful natural moisturizing ingredient.
TOP TIP: For ultra-hydrated skin, here are a few of the products you should be reaching for.
[gallery ids="333507,333506,335053,335055"]
Sweat
Just by breathing, you lose an average of 250 millilitres of water each day. If you work up a sweat, you lose even more. After a one-hour workout, you can lose several litres of water. Here are three signs you may be dehydrated:
[caption id="attachment_333535" align="alignnone" width="280"] Photography by Carlyle Routh[/caption]
You feel tired and sluggish when you start your workout.
You have cramps. Drink 30 millilitres of water for every 10 pounds of body weight one to two hours before you work out.
Your resting pulse rate may be higher than normal for you.
If you’re a wake-up-and-work-out kind of person, hydration is even more important. You’ve just awakened from an eight- to 10-hour fast, so your body needs to be refuelled!
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