We’ve talked a lot about hydration but now that summer is heating up and there are heatwaves hitting across the country, it’s the perfect time to resurface this very important topic. Why is hydration so important? Because the body is comprised mostly of water and every cell, tissue and organ in your body requires water to function. When taking advantage of summer sun and fun, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are staying hydrated because high temps and excessive sweating can cause us to lose water quickly.
There are few things more important to health and longevity than proper hydration. Drinking fluids is crucial to staying healthy and maintaining every system in your body including your heart, brain and muscles. Water serves a range of purposes in our bodies, including removing waste and flushing bacteria; controlling body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; and maintaining a healthy metabolism. And yes – your skin too! As we age, our cells start to deteriorate and lose water in the process. This makes it much more difficult for our cells to work efficiently in fighting off free radicals (the #1 cause of aging!)
Six to eight glasses a day is what we’ve heard all of our life but the exact amount of water you need varies by person and depends on several factors including the climate, your clothing, health conditions and even what you’re doing. An athlete will need more water because they lose a lot more water through sweating and breathing. (FYI - Glotrition founder Lisa Pineiro aims for 72 ounces of water a day, give or take.)
But proper hydration isn’t just about drinking a lot of fluids. You can also “eat your water” - another way to make sure that the body is staying hydrated while also providing other benefits. Eating your water refers to eating water-rich foods like raw fruits and vegetables. And you’re most likely already doing it. While 80% of our daily water intake comes from drinking water, about 20% comes from the foods we eat.
When you “eat” your water, the body processes it slower because the water is trapped in the structure of the food. The slow absorption of the water is a huge benefit because it means the water stays in our bodies longer. Did you know that if you drink your water too quickly or too much at one time, it can actually flush nutrients out of the body as your body will try to get rid of the excess fluid as soon as it can? Another added bonus of eating your water is that you are getting the extra nutrients, vitamins and minerals and even fiber from the food that not only help the body function optimally, but they can also improve your health, even boosting the immune system.
Staying hydrated also includes dehydration prevention measures like avoiding too much time in the sun, wearing protective clothing and barrier building topical skincare to hold in the water. One of the skin’s jobs is to literally keep moisture in the body. By protecting it with moisturizers and supplementing it with proper ingredients, the skin barrier is reinforced. Hyaluronic acid and Ceramosides are 2 ingredients with the incredible ability to retain water, providing your skin with intense hydration. And not only do they they help to prevent moisture loss by reinforcing the skin barrier, they leave skin plump, supple, and well-nourished. Glotrition’s Hydrate Gummiceutical contains both of these key ingredients and makes a great addition to your regimen to stay hydrated.
Hydration Loading means more than just drinking a lot of fluids. It’s the combination of liquid hydration, water rich foods, avoiding dehydrating activities, and protecting and building your skin barrier to help hold in critical moisture. By being aware of this multi-faceted approach, you can avoid dehydration during these hotter months and look and feel your best!