drink water

Do We Really Need 64 Ounces of Water and a Giveaway!

Abby H.Leave a comment

Everybody knows the adage about drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but where did it come from?

According to this NPR article, in 1945, the US Food and Nutrition Board decided that 1 mL of water per calorie was what people needed to stay hydrated. This is approximately 64 ounces of fluid per day. And this stuck.

Per the Mayo Clinic, whats counts as water may surprise you: Any liquid, including foods that are high in liquid, like soups, smoothies, fruits, and vegetables like melons, citrus, and tomatoes, are excellent sources of liquid. This means you don’t need to chug a huge 64-ounce bottle of water every single day. As long as you are consuming foods that are high in liquid, you are getting enough hydration for your body

Too much of a good thing? Yes, you can be overhydrated, and that can cause an electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to cloudy thinking, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and even muscle cramps. This isn’t gonna happen unless you’re drinking over 4 L of water an hour. Overhydration does not happen often, but it can occur.

If you’re looking for ways to add hydration to your day, here are a few ways:

And now for the Giveaway! I’m giving away this 40-ounce reusable cup with a lid, and an assortment of my favorite sugar-free drink mixes!

The prizes will be mailed directly from Amazon to the winner.

To Enter:

  • Comment on this post with how you stay hydrated. (1 entry)
  • Comment on one of my previous blog posts (1 entry per blog comment)
  • Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Each one of these is 1 entry EACH.

I’ll choose a winner on February 1st in the evening. I will email or DM the winner to confirm their mailing address.

5 Tips for Moisturized Skin this Winter!

Abby H.1 Comment

dsc07774It’s finally starting to chill out here in Southern California at night. I love taking a hot shower when it’s cold, but combine that with the dry winds and low humidity and that means dry, itchy skin. Here are five tips to help keep your skin smooth and supple this winter!

  1. Don’t take a hot shower. I know, the temptation is there, but take a warm shower. The hot water strips the moisture from your skin. If you love a steamy bathroom, put a bucket in the shower, and turn the water on very hot, allowing the water to be caught in the bucket. Save the water to water your plants or grass with (after it’s cooled). Then when it’s time to hop into the shower, turn the temp down, pull out the bucket and enjoy the steam and a warm shower!
  2. Dry brush! Dry brushing is a great way to sweep away dead skin, and increase blood flow. It also helps move lymph through your body, which some people say is one of the keys to a good detox. I use this dry brush set– I love it. Here is a great video about dry brushing.
  3. screen-shot-2016-11-20-at-4-07-54-pmExfoliate! Using a moisturizing exfoliant will sweep away the dead skin cells, which is what gives your skin that ashy dry appearance. I like the 100% Natural Arabica Coffee Body Scrub from New York Biology. It’s moisturizes with Organic Arabica Seed Oil, Cacao Extract, Organic Sweet Almond Oil, Organic Olive Oil, and Organic Grape Seed Oil. It uses Coffee and salt to scrub away the dead skin cells. Oh, and it smells GREAT!
  4. Moisturize! Lock in the moisture from the shower with a high quality body lotion or body butter. Avoid products that contain Mineral Oil, Petroleum, and Petrolatum. These ingredients are not absorbed by your body, but leave an occlusive film on your skin. Some people like using straight Coconut oil. I prefer using the lotion bars from Little Red Howse.
  5. Drink Water! I know, you’ve heard that you need 8 glasses a day, but really, it’s important to keep your body hydrated from the inside by making sure you get plenty of liquid! Water is best, but juice, milk, and yes, even coffee count too. Just make sure that you are drinking more non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic beverages, as excessive amounts of both can lead to dehydration or other ill effects. I use these powdered stick beverages in at least 2 of my 20 ounce water glass (which is really just a shaker bottle) each day. You can also infuse water with fruit. I have this pitcher in the fridge with lemons and cucumbers in it right now!

I’d love to hear your tips for keeping your skin moisturized this winter!