A Compact Guide to Keeping Your Body and Skin Hydrated This Season

If you have been struggling with guzzling down water bottles in order to achieve your daily hydration targets, we feel you. With so emphasis on hydration these days and the barrage of Insta posts of with individuals posing with their fancy and gigantic bottles (the quintessential post-workout flex!), the pressure to keep yourself hydrated is simply inescapable. So, in case you have tried it all, including even the trendiest hydration apps, and still not gained much ground, then read on…

 

Why the Hoopla?

Sure, the human body is 60-70 percent water and we all need to maintain optimal hydration in order to stay healthy and perform our best. Everything from our body temperature, health of internal organs, lubrication of joints, immunity levels metabolism, to cognition (not to cause panic, but dehydration also affects your mental health and can lead to permanent damage to brain cells if left untreated as 75 percent of the brain mass is water), concentration, mood regulation, and sleep quality, all depend on it.

 

In terms on skin’s physiology, celebrity dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon, Dr Manjot Marwah shares, “Studies have shown that consumption of more than 2 litres water per day significantly improved skin hydration of skin. Water helps skin prevent the loss of moisture from the body, as well as strengthens the moisture or lipid barrier of the epidermis that performs this task and protects skin from environmental aggressors.”

“The blazing sun during summers can cause regular issues like dizziness, headaches, sunburns, and even heat stroke. Hence, hydrating your body as often as you can is paramount,” says Dr Rohini Patil, Founder and CEO, Nutracy Lifestyle, a specialist in the fields of diet and nutrition.  

 

Get Started with Baby Steps

Whatever maybe the challenges you are facing in your quest for optimal hydration, it is imperative to remember to start slow, and be consistent with smaller changes, which eventually lead to bigger ones. Here are a few you can incorporate into your lifestyle, stat!

Include fruits and veggies with high water content in your diet: Seasonal fruits and vegetables are a no-brainer. “Summer fruits like melons, strawberries, peaches, pineapple, and vegetables like cucumber, celery, tomatoes, and zucchini have high water content. Eating them raw is the best way to maintain body temperatures, especially during summers. They also offer essential nutrients and aid in maintaining body weight,” says dietician Natasha Mohan, an expert in fitness and nutrition, and member of International Sports Sciences Association.

 

(L-R) Celebrity dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon, Dr Manjot Marwah; dietician Natasha Mohan; and nutritionist Dr Rohini Patil, Founder and CEO, Nutracy Lifestyle.  

 

Flavour your water: Drinking just plain water can be boring and to switch things up a bit, try other options like coconut water and fresh juices. Or like Dr Rohini suggests, “You don’t have to strictly just stick to just regular water, choose from the variety of flavoured waters available in the market (avoid the ones loaded with sugar), or just infuse your water with lime, lemon, mint, orange, berries, or cucumber on your own for improving taste and some extra freshness.”

Don’t wait to feel thirsty: According to Natasha, “Although water or fluid intake depends on various factors like climatic conditions and the amount of physical activity carried out by an individual, among other things, we shouldn’t wait till the point of feeling thirsty. The very fact that you are feeling so is indicative of the fact that your body is already dehydrated. At the same time, simply drinking water to eliminate the urge of drinking water is also not suggested. Hence, just sipping on water throughout the day is sufficient.”

Pro tip: Even though cold or iced water might satiate your thirst immediately and give you greater satisfaction, it is actually warm water that saves the day! Natasha shares, “Warm water actually keeps the body hydrated from within. So, kick your day off with a glass of warm water, and have one after meals too, especially dinner. This is a sure shot way to harness the many benefits of water.”

 

The Deets on Skin Health

When it comes to the importance of skin hydration, Dr Manjot first stresses on the difference between dryness and dehydration. She explains, “Having dry skin and dehydrated skin are two different things. Dry skin occurs when our oil or sebum producing glands are working at suboptimal level, while dehydrated skin occurs when the water content of the skin is low. Someone with oily or acne prone skin can also have dehydrated skin.” Dehydrated skin, according to her is prone to dryness, fine lines, sensitivity, and loss of skin’s natural glow or sheen, all signs of premature skin ageing.

So, she suggests simply keeping an individual bottle for yourself, so you can keep track of your water consumption. “In addition, including a waterproof sunscreen and hydration promoting agents like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and squalene in your skincare regimen in the form of a moisturiser help as well. Consume a diet in rich in essential fatty acids like omega 3 also goes a long way, coupled with limiting your intake of diuretics like alcohol and tea.” Dr Manjot advises that in case your skin continues to experience dehydration in spite of making these changes, a consultation with a dermatologist is a must, as many skin problems that appear as dry skin are actually eczemas and need proper care.