There is ONE thing all naturally beautiful, youthful-looking women swear by and it’s not an expensive serum, diet, exercise regime, or plastic surgeon.
This magical secret is…drumroll please…have you guessed it yet?…wait for it…
WATER.
I know what you’re thinking. #NoBrainer, right? But when I say water, I mean LOTS of it. I got an eye-opener when I read this quote in People from the drop-dead-gorge Gabrielle Union: “I started drinking a gallon of water a day in my mid-thirties. It changed everything from weight maintenance, to hair, skin, nails, and digestion.”
I know what you’re thinking (again). A GALLON?! And yes, it sounds like a lot, but if you drink it throughout the day (in your fashionable BKR bottle, perhaps), it’s nbd. And she’s absolutely right; increasing your water intake can change your body from the inside out and put a screeching halt on the aging process. But then again, Gabs does have the whole “black don’t crack” thing on her side.
But you can also ask my mom, WHO IS 61, never had an ounce of work done, is ridiculously healthy, and drinks H2o like it’s her job.
(Speaking of, I ate that guacamole like it was my job and I was gunning for a promotion.)
Of course, other factors are crucial (most importantly, sleep, diet, and exercise) but water is at the very top when it comes to health, beauty, mental and physical performance, staying “regular”, and even reducing certain types of cancer.
Our health and fitness gal (and H2o enthusiast) Cara put together some ways to not only make your water healthier (and skinnier!), but also more enticing so you chug-a-lug:
1. Lemon: Squeeze lotsa’ lemon into your water and you’re getting vitamin C while improving your body’s PH balance and flushing out toxins. Do it daily and you’ll probably notice more energy, better skin, less stress, weight loss, and improved digestion. (Basically, there’s no reason to be drinking water WITHOUT lemon.)
2. Honey: This natural sugar can give you a morning or midday boost, even in place of coffee (but we’ll take coffee, too). It has tons of good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, plus it soothes indigestion, cleanses the liver, removes toxins, flushes fat, AND combined with lemon, relieves symptoms of the common cold or dry cough.
3. Cayenne pepper: Alone or with your lemon water, this boosts your metabolism in the morning by increasing the temperature in your body. It stimulates the circulatory system, aids digestion, and regulates blood sugar.
4. Cinnamon and honey: Together, these reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol. Best heated up, you should enjoy this concoction morning, afternoon, and/or night if you’ve had high cholesterol or heart conditions in the past.
Plain or healthily enhanced, nature’s beverage is the best thing you can give yourself all day, every day. As for the temp, Cara says: Warm or room temperature water reaches your system faster, while ice cold requires some energy to warm it up before hydrating you. Tip: Before or after a workout, go with room temp water for hydration purposes. At work, make it ice cold so you burn calories warming it up in your system.
So get your aqua in, and if you significantly increase the amount you’re drinking, you’re guaranteed to see and feel results. If you’re already drinking a gallon a day, then we raise our glass (or bottle) to you!
LYLAS,
Ashley
*Psst, if you liked Cara’s water tips, there’s plenty more #MakingHealthyHappen where that came from…
*Top image from FanPop.com