Are you noticing that your skin is dryer than normal or that you constantly have chapped lips? You are not alone! You may be a bit dehydrated. Hydration is one of the fundamental ways to keep your skin looking and feeling great!
About 70% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. That is nuts! Every system in the body needs water to function. We need it to get rid of wastes, normalize our temperature, lubricate our joints and protect our tissues. Did you know that up to 65% of a person’s body weight is water? Did you also know that it only takes a 1 – 2% drop to cause dehydration? Remember, by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
What are some symptoms of dehydration?
- Dry, itchy skin
- Alteration of your mood, attention, and motor coordination
- Fatigue, aches, and pains
- Headaches or dizziness
- Foggy head and memory issues
- Decreased urination due to body fluid concentration
- If urine is darker than normal, it can indicate that you are dehydrated as urine should always be light to clear.
- Grazing… it may be thirst not hunger causing it
- And of course, thirst. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
How to stay hydrated?
First and foremost, drink water! It’s pretty simple, you just need to make sure you are getting enough each day. A good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half, that is the total intake of ounces you should have each day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds then you need about 75 ounces of water a day.
Drinking a lot but still feel dehydrated? Try a pinch of Himalayan or Sea Salt in your water, just a touch to get some electrolytes into your body. On days you are sweating more, (think hot summertime workouts) make sure to also take an electrolyte supplement to replace the minerals you are losing with your workout.
You do not have to drink all of it, you can get some water from your foods. Most people get about 20% of their fluids from foods which is an easy and delicious way to get more fluids into the body. Soups and broths can be a great option, especially during colder weather, but there are great cold soups out there as well for summer. A good summer gazpacho is amazing!
You can also add more water heavy foods into your diet, like: Cucumber, lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, watermelon, spinach, cantaloupe, oranges, eggplant, broccoli, carrots, peas, just to name a few. This is another wonderful reason to eat more fruits and veggies! There are a ton of links out there to get your taste buds excited for more hydrating foods but here is a good one to get you started: https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/top-30-hydrating-foods
On a skin product note: YES! There are many wonderful skin care products that will help keep your skin moisturized and looking lovely, but if you are dehydrated, they can only do so much, and your skin will ultimately stay dry. Hydrate first and then use fabulous products second … your skin will thank you!
Stay hydrated!