Once we lose 1% of our total body's water weight we see psychological and physiological changes in our body, BUT we don't actually feel thirst until we've lost 2-3% of our total body's water.
Without appropriate water we cannot appropriately:
* Regulate internal body temperature
* Metabolize macronutrients secondary to decreased saliva which houses our enzymes
* Flush toxins from our body through urine
* Dissolve and absorb vitamins and minerals
* Transport nutrients
* Absorb shock from the brain, spinal cord, organs, and fetus
* Lubricate all of our joints
Remember those physiological changes I spoke to with a 1% loss of our total body weight? When we become dehydrated our blood becomes thicker which puts us more at risk of clotting and it becomes harder for us to pump our blood through our bodies. This results in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and potentially heart disease. Other complications with dehydration include:
*heat stroke
*seizures
*extremely low blood pressure which can result in low blood volume shock
*Kidney Failure (which occurs when your body can not remove waste from blood)
I know this sounds so clinical, but when you think about the importance of hydration it is not a surprise that nobody can live more than 3-5 days without any water intake. (Source: Montain et al. (1999). Mil Med 164 : 502-508)
So how much water do we need? The average recommendation is to drink 8 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. Please note this is individualized and a starting guide for AVERAGE adults. All fluids count towards this number. I personally tell my clients to start here and monitor the color of their urine which should be a pale straw color. Click here to view the Cleveland Clinics urine chart. When you exercise you should expect to need 1.5-2.5 more cups of water but please note there's a science behind that and that's a whole other blog that will include information on hydration products and more! It is possible, although rare, to over hydrate so it's important to be in touch with your body and it's thirst regulator.
For now focus on getting your 8 8 ounces of fluid a day. In addition to drinking fluid you can also hydrate your body through the following foods which are 85-96% primarily water:
Ice Berg Lettuce Zucchini Strawberries
Red Tomatoes Cucumber Watermelon
Radishes Sweet Peppers Peaches
Pineapples Apricots Oranges
Raspberries Cranberries Grapefruit
Cantaloupe Cauliflower Spinach
Signs of dehydration are dry sticky mouth, fatigue, thirst, decreased urine output, no tears when crying, dry skin, headache, constipation, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, low blood pressure, and fever. Remember, by the time you feel the symptom of thirst you've already lost 2-3% of your total body's water. So refuel appropriately!
My word to the wise: Start monitoring your urine and thirst symptoms and work directly with your physician or dietitian if you are confused on how much hydration you need. Healthy hydration is an important factor for a healthy metabolism, healthy heart and more!
Hydration for the skin! What the heck am I talking about? It took me several years and treating thousands of patients to realize just how important skin hydration really is. Patients know that washing their face is important, but how can we keep that water in our skin?
It is estimated we lose 10cc of water from our face every year after the age of 30. That is why women spend billions of dollars worldwide on fillers to plump that skin back up. Fillers are not collagen, they are hyaluronic acid that is a hydrater that holds on to water and helps to stimulate our own collagen. Hyaluronic Acid is a miracle product, and guess what....WE ALREADY MAKE IT IN OUR BODIES!
So what is a good moisturizer? Not all brands are the same. When patients examine the skin care aisle at Walmart, it's all about the pretty bottles, the colors that catch your eye, and the bold text saying "Acne Fighting," "Flawless Face," and "Clear Skin".
We all want flawless beautiful skin, but a $12 bottle of lotion is not the only thing that will get you there, or is it? If patients add a good moisturizer into their skin regimen every day, they can slow down oil production and in turn reduce breakouts and redness. You don't need apricot scrub, $500 skin care systems, or expensive department store miracle creams. Don't spend hundreds of dollars on the next miracle, just talk to your dermatologist about the right regimen for you and what your skin needs.
Some of my favorite hydrating moisturizers are prescription strength because they contain higher levels of Hyaluronic acid and Ceramides. You can find brands over the counter like Cerave that are great too. Don't always trust labels that say non-comedogenic or non pore clogging. Look at the ingredients or ask your dermatologist. Avoid moisturizers with coco butter, petrolatum, or coconut oil. All organic doesn't necessarily mean good for your face either (that blog is coming).
Below is an image of an eczema patient before and 2 weeks after using only a prescription moisturizer. No steroids or antibiotics.
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| photo credit: Exeltis USA Dermatology, LLC. |
In good health,
Amy & Kris
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