Water is essential for all known forms of life.
It's been estimated that a healthy body needs a minimum of two liters (about 68 ounces) of water daily to avoid dehydration, a condition that sends hundreds of people to the hospital every day.
In fact, statistical analysis indicates that the human body is between 55 and 75 percent water, depending on age and health.
Whatever the exact percentage, the fact of the matter is clear: we are highly complex irrigation systems that need constant hydration.
We need water to regulate body temperature, support the endocrine system (helping to reduce systems of PMS or morning sickness), fight the formation of kidney stones, and alleviate the effects of diseases such as hypertension and arthritis.
Here are five more benefits of drinking enough water: * Suppress appetite: When you drink the right amount of water for your body weight, natural thirst returns and hunger diminishes.
In addition, water can help you feel fuller.
* Reduce weight: Drinking water helps increase liver and kidney function, helping to speed up the metabolism and reduce fat deposits.
* Reduce fluid retention: As odd as it might sound, water is Nature's diuretic! If the body gets too little water, it will hang onto it; getting enough water will help your body release retained fluids.
Keep in mind that plain water is best for hydration; other liquids (juice, milk, etc.
) can help, but the body has to work harder to make use of them.
* Relieve constipation: Your body needs water to help eliminate wastes, particularly if you eat a diet high in fiber.
If the water isn't coming in, the intestines will draw it from elsewhere in the body.
* Hydrate skin: The skin is the body's largest organ.
If it doesn't have enough moisture, it functions less effectively--and it will be more prone to dullness, dryness and wrinkles.
Remember, the larger you are, the more help your body needs to metabolize properly.
A good rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by two or three; the results, in ounces, should be your target water intake, with the higher number applying the more active you are.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your target should be 50 (150/3) to 75 (150/2) ounces of water per day.
Once you have your insides properly hydrated, you can work on the outside to keep that moisture locked in the skin.
In the past, skin-care products relied on waxes and oils--lanolin and mineral oil, for example--to act as barriers and trap moisture on the skin's surface.
But these were "heavy" products that tended to clog pores, reducing the skin's ability to function properly and contributing to break-outs.
The new hydrators, however, come in the form of serums, emulsions or water-soluble gels that are generally thinner and lighter in texture.
With their non-occlusive ingredients, and humectants like hyaluronic acid, botanical extracts, peptides and vitamins B3 and B5, they attract water to the skin and hold it there.
Serums generally contain higher levels of active ingredients than the creams or other moisturizers you may already be using, and can boost their effectiveness.
This double layer of protection slows down moisture evaporation and gives your skin a healthy, lasting radiance.
dration--both from outside in and inside out--is clearly essential to great body and skin health.
So drink up and slather on!
It's been estimated that a healthy body needs a minimum of two liters (about 68 ounces) of water daily to avoid dehydration, a condition that sends hundreds of people to the hospital every day.
In fact, statistical analysis indicates that the human body is between 55 and 75 percent water, depending on age and health.
Whatever the exact percentage, the fact of the matter is clear: we are highly complex irrigation systems that need constant hydration.
We need water to regulate body temperature, support the endocrine system (helping to reduce systems of PMS or morning sickness), fight the formation of kidney stones, and alleviate the effects of diseases such as hypertension and arthritis.
Here are five more benefits of drinking enough water: * Suppress appetite: When you drink the right amount of water for your body weight, natural thirst returns and hunger diminishes.
In addition, water can help you feel fuller.
* Reduce weight: Drinking water helps increase liver and kidney function, helping to speed up the metabolism and reduce fat deposits.
* Reduce fluid retention: As odd as it might sound, water is Nature's diuretic! If the body gets too little water, it will hang onto it; getting enough water will help your body release retained fluids.
Keep in mind that plain water is best for hydration; other liquids (juice, milk, etc.
) can help, but the body has to work harder to make use of them.
* Relieve constipation: Your body needs water to help eliminate wastes, particularly if you eat a diet high in fiber.
If the water isn't coming in, the intestines will draw it from elsewhere in the body.
* Hydrate skin: The skin is the body's largest organ.
If it doesn't have enough moisture, it functions less effectively--and it will be more prone to dullness, dryness and wrinkles.
Remember, the larger you are, the more help your body needs to metabolize properly.
A good rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by two or three; the results, in ounces, should be your target water intake, with the higher number applying the more active you are.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your target should be 50 (150/3) to 75 (150/2) ounces of water per day.
Once you have your insides properly hydrated, you can work on the outside to keep that moisture locked in the skin.
In the past, skin-care products relied on waxes and oils--lanolin and mineral oil, for example--to act as barriers and trap moisture on the skin's surface.
But these were "heavy" products that tended to clog pores, reducing the skin's ability to function properly and contributing to break-outs.
The new hydrators, however, come in the form of serums, emulsions or water-soluble gels that are generally thinner and lighter in texture.
With their non-occlusive ingredients, and humectants like hyaluronic acid, botanical extracts, peptides and vitamins B3 and B5, they attract water to the skin and hold it there.
Serums generally contain higher levels of active ingredients than the creams or other moisturizers you may already be using, and can boost their effectiveness.
This double layer of protection slows down moisture evaporation and gives your skin a healthy, lasting radiance.
dration--both from outside in and inside out--is clearly essential to great body and skin health.
So drink up and slather on!