IS YOUR BODY THIRSTY?

Do you struggle with drinking enough water every day? I know I do. The old standard for water consumption previously was at least 64 ounces of water a day. That was hard enough to do. But now the Mayo Clinic says we need 2.7 liters a day, which is 91.30 ounces. I have a hard time drinking 64 ounces, much less 91.30!

HERE ARE SOME REASONS THAT WE ALL NEED TO DRINK THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF WATER, AND SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO GET THERE.

Your Cells Need Water to Function Properly

Experts say that our body is over 60% water. We need to stay hydrated for proper cell function. If you exercise on a regular basis, then you will lose water from your body through perspiration, so you really need to drink enough water to replace what you have lost. (Of course, when you exercise, you feel the thirst more, and therefore drinking water becomes easier.)

Water Makes Your Skin Glow

Drinking water helps flush toxins out of your body. It also improves blood flow to your skin. Believe it or not, drinking water helps give your skin more internal moisture that shows up in a healthy glow.

If you don’t drink enough water, your skin will reflect that fact by looking and feeling drier. By maintaining adequate hydration, though, the skin becomes more elastic, and fine lines and wrinkles become less pronounced. That right there should motivate all women over 40 to drink more water.

Water Reduces Swelling

As counter-intuitive as it sounds, drinking more water actually reduces water retention. If you are prone to puffiness or swelling, consistently drinking more water will help reduce it.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE PLAIN WATER, HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE.

Infuse A Pitcher of Water With Fruit Slices

Keep a filtered water pitcher in your refrigerator with fruit slices in it to infuse it with flavor. You can really use any fruit you like, but common ones are lemon, lime, orange, and cucumber.

Measure the daily amount of water you need into the pitcher, and then once the pitcher is empty, you know you have drunk all of the water you need for the day. Then just refill it the next day.

Add A Small Amount of 100% Juice to Your Water Bottle

If you don’t like the infused water idea, then you can buy a bottle of 100% juice and put a very small amount into your water bottle to flavor your water. 100% juice is more expensive than juice from concentrate, but you only use a very small amount to flavor your water, and you get the benefits of the juice. If you drink six (6) 16.9 ounce bottles of water then you will have drunk the recommended amount.

Drink Premixed Flavored Water

There are any number of flavored waters on the market that you can buy that taste pretty good. Many of them, however, have artificial sweeteners in them. If you are not worried about those, then any of the ones of the market will work. It’s just a matter of preference.

There is also powder you can put in your water. The premixed water is more expensive than buying the powder that you mix in your own water bottle, but it is certainly more convenient.

TAKE 30 DAYS AND TRY IT

You need to be consistent. Just drinking more water one day and expecting a miracle is not realistic. But if you consistently drink the recommended amount of water for 30 days straight, you should begin to see a difference.

Here’s a suggestion. Do your own experiment. We can read expert opinions and research studies all day, but sometimes it’s just best to try it for yourself. Wash your face and take a really good look at your skin. Start today drinking 91.30 ounces of water a day for 30 days consistently. Don’t skip a day. Anyone can do 30 days, right?

At the end of the 30 days, wash your face and take another really good look at your skin. I bet you see a difference. If you need to take a before and after picture, go for it. If you don’t see a difference after 30 days, don’t give up. It may just take longer for you to see the benefits.

My goal is to do the 30 days of water myself and see what my skin looks like at the end. I love Diet Coke, though, so it is going to be hard for me to switch to water. I plan to try to drink six (6) 16 ounce cups of water, and that will be enough. What have I got to lose?