Have you ever noticed that some days your skin tends to look drawn and tight? Or you may have even noticed that a particular picture you were in wasn’t all that flattering for some reason. I noticed this when I went on a trip to Costa Rica with my sister and looked at the pictures.
I realized that I looked ten years older because I was dehydrated a lot of the time I was there. We didn’t always carry water with us, not understanding how the constant heat and sweating depleted our bodies of hydration, so much of the time I was thirsty and simply didn’t have enough water in my system.
It was then that I realized how powerful hydration is in keeping your skin youthful, toned and line free. Consuming plenty of pure water is absolutely vital to keeping your skin supple and fresh looking. It literally fills your cells with water and plumps out the lines on your face.
It helps smooth out deep lines such as nasolabial folds (the lines that run on either side of your mouth all the way up to the corners of your nose), crows feet, and creases that often form on the forehead area.
Drinking alcohol and consuming too much sodium dehydrates your skin
If you know you’re going to be consuming alcohol, make sure you have plenty of water on hand. It would be a good idea to drink a water that is infused with electrolytes, since this can hydrate better and may also help better counteract the diuretic effect of the alcohol.
Taking in excessive sodium also dehydrates and “deflates” the skin. Excess sodium intake can make you chronically dehydrated and therefore really do a number on the appearance of your skin.
If you put salt on your food, try to use an all natural salt that is not processed so that you get the additional minerals (good suggestions are Himalayan or Celtic sea salt see http://www.naturalnews.com/028724_Himalayan_salt_sea.html for why). Remember, most sea salts are even somewhat processed or contain additives, so look for an unprocessed form of salt.
These “raw” salts are less dehydrating to the body since the body can process them better than your typical iodized and processed table salt that has been stripped of the natural sodium “buffers” or minerals. It also happens to taste worlds better than your standard iodized and over-processed table salt.
It must be water – not coffee or soda or tea, but water
Bring fresh, pure drinking water with you everywhere you go. Only water has the ability to refresh your cells, flush your system of toxins all day long, and rejuvenate your brain function. Keep it in your car and at your desk at work. Have it with you or easily accessible at all times.
If you are constantly making sure you’re adequately hydrated with water, not only will your skin look fresh and smooth all day long, but your energy levels will maintain all day long. Often times we think we’re hungry or lagging in energy, but this is really one of the most common signs of dehydration.
Danna Norek owns AuraSensory.com (http://www.aurasensory.com), which offers a growing line of highly effective natural body, skin and haircare products including a hyaluronic acid serum which plumps the skin cells externally and an MSM and Vitamin C Ester deeply hydrating face cream.
