Just about every model, beauty expert, and wellbeing guru cites drinking water as their number one tip to getting great skin, losing weight, and maintaining general health. Eight glasses a day and two litres a day are amounts that are frequently thrown around as a general guide but the truth is there is no magic number when it comes to fluid intake.
As a very general rule, the average male requires around 3 litres a day, while the average female needs roughly 2.2 litres a day but there are many lifestyle and health factors that come into play when it comes to determining how much water your body really needs.
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Firstly, your height, weight, age and the amount of exercise you do play a large part in determining how much water you drink. Seasons and locations come into play too as people in hotter climates tend to sweat more. There are plenty of calculators online that allow you to enter your height and weight to come up with a more individual estimated water intake so it’s worthwhile trying one out to get a better idea of how much fluid you should be aiming to drink.
If you’re the type who doesn’t like drinking water, you’ll be pleased to hear that the National Academy of Science recently determined that all beverages and foods contribute to hydration. Try tea and water-based foods to up your water intake slowly. Plain, old water is still the best thing when it comes to hydration though, so start to gradually increase your intake and persevere if you’re not a fan at first – eventually, you will become more aware of your hydration levels and start to crave water in its purest state. Remember, two thirds of your body is made up of water!
We’ve all heard that water does wonders for the skin but we all know people who seem to drink only coffee yet still have flawless skin. It’s hardly a miracle cure – things like hormones, lifestyle, and skin care regime all come into play too – but drinking water will regulate body temperature, reduce stress on the liver and kidneys, and help flush out waste and toxins. This detoxification and regulation process will improve your complexion in the long term, but don’t expect any miracles overnight. Finally, not drinking enough water dehydrates the body, which can leave your complexion dry.
The health benefits of water are endless. Water is needed to maintain the health of every cell in your body, keep the bloodstream liquid enough to flow through the blood vessels, help eliminate by-products of the body’s metabolism, cushion joints, reduce the risk of cystitis, aid digestion, carry nutrients around the body and so much more.
Not convinced? Consider this – you can survive a month without food, but only 5-7 days without water. Bottom’s up!
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