When I was growing up, right here in the South, my mom always told me to be sure to drink lots and lots of water everyday. Not only is it good for you, she said, but it keeps your skin looking young and healthy. Of course I believed her, because she’s my mom and she never tells lies. But as it turns out, drinking excessive amounts of water has little to no effect on the appearance of your skin. And apparently eight glasses a day is no longer recommended.
In response to this Really? column, I say: Really? Now, I know there is all this “science” behind these studies, and in all likelihood, water in fact has no literal effect on how young or pretty your skin looks. But I do think that staying hydrated is really important, for both health and beauty reasons. If you don’t drink enough water everyday, your skin will dry out. The body is a complex system of smaller systems, and if any one system is out of whack, it can affect everything else.
I personally drink water all day long at work and at home. I do occasionally have a Diet Coke (I had one today in fact), but I rarely drink anything but water during the day. I wonder if I stopped drinking as much water as I do now if I would notice a difference in the appearance of my skin. Science says no. But my mom says yes. I’m inclined to go with my mama.
How about you? What “old wives’ tales” do you believe and follow in your daily life?
