When you just can’t quench your thirst
My skin has predicted that winter is coming.
I realize there are at least 6-weeks to go according to the Solstice but my face and arms were dry and itchy for the first time in months. I hunted in my purse for moisturizer and lip balm. I had actually forgotten which pocket they were in from disuse this summer.
Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin is horrible. Experiences like being dry and itchy, or sweaty and over heated. Two extremes but both connected to hydration.
As winter does come, consider what hydration looks like for you. As adults, we should be drinking at least 30mL of water for each kilogram of body weight. It works out to 2-3L for most person per day. It also means we need sufficient healthy fats, which are literally the structural support for our beautiful skin cells.
That might seem like a lot of water to drink in a day. Upwards of 12 cups of water per day is a lot if it’s not already a habit (a bit more for me because I have a condition called hyperhydrosis and sweat through my hands so I get dehydrated quickly).
While clean, filtered water is the ideal source of fluids to hydrate yourself with, not everyone likes the taste. Consider herbal teas and infused water (I personally love cucumber, or blueberries with mint leaves) as a delicious alternative, as are incorporating salads, soups and water-based smoothies. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try Kombucha. Although also delicious, coffee and fruit juices should be limited to 1-2 cups a day, and try to avoid pop if you can.
Lemon water is a very popular drink but can lead to erosion of your tooth enamel if you don’t drink through with a straw.
Here are 5 tips for drinking water this winter
- Measure how much fluid is in your morning coffee or tea (eg. 16 or 20 fl.oz is between 2-2.5 cups). Have a water or almond-milk breakfast smoothie, (eg. 1-2 cups of nutritious fluid).
- In truth, most of us have to go to the bathroom about 1-2 hours after drinking coffee because it irritates our bladder. On your way back to whatever activity you were doing, fill up and drink a water bottle (eg. 1-2 cups).
- Instead of a pop, or another cup of coffee, have a bottle of water at lunch (eg. 2 cups).
- If you are hydrating, you should have to go to the bathroom in the afternoon. On your way back from whatever you were doing, fill up and drink a water bottle (eg. 1-2 cups).
- Have a glass of water before or after dinner. You can also start your meal with a cup of bone broth with mushrooms (eg. 1 cup). I also normally have a cup of herbal tea in the evening (eg. 1-2 cups).
That’s about 1 Litre at breakfast with a smoothie, 1.5 Litres during the day from lunch/snacks, and 1-2 cups at dinner. All combined, 3 Litres of water or nutritious fluids.
My bottle of water holds just shy of 3 cups so I drink closer to 3.5 Litres in a day. The differences I’ve noticed are no difficulty word finding when I’m talking, I don’t get headaches, and my tongue doesn’t feel dry. Other signs of dehydration to be aware of are: loss of appetite, flushed skin, heat intolerance, lightheadedness, dry mouth and eyes, and dark urine. Even a 2% change in body fluid can impact your health.
Stay tuned for recipes with healthy fats for your skin. And by that I mean, hydrating moisturizers that are natural and easy to make at home.
