MILAN – Water is a useful ally for all women, both from a health point of view and as a real source of beauty. How so? We asked Dr Elisabetta Bernardi, a biologist specialising in Nutritional Science and a member of the Osservatorio Sanpellegrino, who state that “Drinking the right amount of water, around 8 glasses, over the course of the day has a positive impact on our mental and physical health”.
Water and skincare
Dehydration is one of the main causes of loss of elasticity in the skin. Proper hydration also has a regenerating function, because it brightens the skin, as well as eliminating its impurities and delaying ageing. “When our body is not properly hydrated, our skin tends to by dry, dull and tense, contributing to the appearance of the first wrinkles”, highlights Dr. Bernardi.
Hydration and physical and mental wellbeing
Consuming the right amount of water is also very important due to the impact it has on the female body from the point of view of physical and mental wellbeing. “In a state of even moderate dehydration, with a loss of around 2% of body weight,” continues Dr. Bernardi, “you can experience episodes of fatigue, headaches, loss of visual acuity and difficulty concentrating. Remembering to drink water throughout the day, without waiting to feel thirsty, helps to maintain our water balance and, consequently, helps us to stay active as we do our daily activities”.
How the hydration requirements of women change
Pregnancy and menopause are delicate stages of every woman’s life, during which they have to start drinking water which is high in calcium, but low in sodium. “During pregnancy and the breastfeeding phase,” Dr. Bernardi also highlights, “the need for proper hydration inevitably increases. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends that pregnant women drink 300ml more water per day, and that breastfeeding women drink 700ml more per day. During menopause, however, some women may start to experience problems with insomnia: “According to a recent study, the short duration of our sleep is often associated with poor hydration. More proof of just how important an ally water is for our all-round health”, concludes Dr. Bernardi.
di Prisca Peroni
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