Do you ever wonder why men with beards look older?

If your answer is, "Because their beard is gray and nasty looking," you're only partly right. It's also because their skin never gets the chance to have that layer of dead skin removed every day by the simple act of shaving.

Men are lucky. We can have that dead layer of facial skin removed every day. Just by using a safety razor. Because as the blade is removing your beard, it takes off that micro-layer of dead skin.

Women have to get their skin "exfoliated" and they probably pay a fortune to do it. We get it for free.

If you're accustomed to using an electric razor, now's a good time to chuck that. What you want to use is a simple safety razor. I recommend the Mach 3 or something like that. If you've used an electric razor for years because of the pain inflicted by razors, give the new varieties a try. They exfoliate your skin, shave your beard, and don't leave blood all over the bathroom.

Water in the morning

Those with the misfortune of being around me first thing in the morning (and 99% of the time, this is my wife and children) know that I have 2 routines that I do every day of my life.

First is that I have a series of deep-breathing exercises. These are very effective, and I'll talk about them more later.

The second is that I drink about a half gallon of water.

I'm not fussy about the water. What I drink is warm tap water. And I have a container, I fill it up, and drink it. Pretty fast. And drinking that water has 2 benefits.

First, I wake up fast. I'm not one of these people who's real groggy when I first get up, but I've found that I really wake up fast after the water. I don't have anything scientific to prove it -- yet -- but I wonder if part of what we perceive as sleepiness in the morning is really just dehydration. Because if you're like me, you haven't had much of anything to drink for 6, 7, 8 or more hours. Your body is composed of a lot of water. My drinking routine acknowledges that, and gives the body a jump start on the day.

There are a couple of other benefits to the water routine. I'll get to those tomorrow.

When others hit you with stones

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him."

Sidney Greenberg

Sneezing

So you're outside raking the leaves (like I'm heading out to do in a few minutes, at my wife's powerful suggestion : ) and there's going to be a lot of dust in the air. So what's likely to happen? I'm going to sneeze. Probably a couple of times.

Those into pills take a sneeze as a sign that they need to take something to suppress the sneeze. I go with another theory.

Sneezes are there for a reason. You've got something in your nose that should be there, and a sneeze is your body's way of getting rid of it. Pleasant? Not necessarily. But it's there for a good cause. Whenever possible, let the sneeze do its job. In other words, sneeze. Let it go. Don't try to hold it in (that's a miserable feeling anyway!) and don't take something to suppress the sneeze.

You're sneezing for a reason. (Hey, that almost rhymes!) Get rid of the reason, and the sneezing will go away by itself.

Your visions and your life

"People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives."

Stedman Graham

When things are hard at the beginning

"Don't be afraid if things seem difficult in the beginning. That's only the initial impression. The important thing is not to retreat; you have to master yourself."

Olga Korbut,

Olympic medalist

How to succeed

"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough."

Og Mandino, author

Encouragement and discouragement

"Whether or not we realize it each of us has within us the ability to set some kind of example for people. Knowing this would you rather be the one known for being the one who encouraged others, or the one who inadvertently discouraged those around you?"

Josh Hinds, author

Using Water to Help Quit Smoking

Stopping smoking is not easy. Ask anyone who has quit. And the problem is that once you’ve quit, you’re not over it! The craving continues: some folks who have been quit for 15 years say they would still like to have one.

But since you’re reading this section, I’m guessing you know all of this. Because if you didn’t smoke, you would have probably skipped over it. And you’re thinking, “I know it’s hard to quit -- just give me something that will help me quit!”

The good news is that water will also help you get over some of the tough cravings ... especially the first few days and weeks after you’ve quit.

The longer you’ve been smoking, the more your body has become accustomed to nicotine, which is a powerful drug. Part of the difficulty with stopping smoking is that the body is still craving it. But the flip side to quitting is that you’re body is getting rid of some powerful toxins. That’s the cause of the headaches a lot of folks have in the days and weeks after they’ve quit.

Water -- lots and lots of water -- helps the body to get rid of those poisons, and allows your tissues and organs to regenerate themselves. When you’re quitting smoking, it’s not unreasonable to think that you might want to double your water intake. That’s right -- if you’re normally going to be drinking 20 glasses a day, drink 40 instead.

Now 40 glasses is a lot of water, and you may find it difficult to drink that much. That’s OK, but it wouldn’t hurt to aim that high. Just keep drinking a lot, and allow your body to get healthy again. Use those cigarette cravings as an opportunity to have another glass of water. If you slip, and have a cigarette, don’t beat yourself up. Just immediately drink 5 or 6 glasses of water to flush out the new toxins, and get right back into your new habit of not smoking.

And whatever you do, don’t give up! You’re too valuable to lose to tobacco!

Why some people criticise

"Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you."

Zig Ziglar,

author and speaker

Sun exposure and cancer

You know, I've often ranted about the
benefits of sun exposure, but some people
just don't seem to listen. So, here's someone
else saying it. It's a well-written piece.
I don't agree with everything he says,
but consider it:

"I have just returned from an island
off the coast of Georgia. The island
is the easternmost piece of land in
the state of Georgia. Luckily, we stayed
just down the street from a great
breakfast dive called "The Breakfast
Club." This is a famous place and
unique in many ways including the
hours. When the chef (can you really
call a short order cook that?) decides
to close he closes. Today he closed at
12:30. Yesterday, he stayed open until
2:00. If you've ever spent much time
on an island in the semi-tropics you'll
find nooks and crannies with people
like this..."living on island time."

As this summer comes to an end and
the sunsets arrive earlier and earlier,
I am reminded about those living either
on an island or near a beach, and I truly
begin to wonder about the sun and
whether it is good for us. While walking
the beach this week, I contemplated
the hype about sunburns and skin cancer.
How much SPF was I supposed to put
on? How often? Should I really stay
completely out of the sun at noon?
When I realize how little of it makes
sense, I know its time do some more
research and then share my thoughts
with you.

If you think about it, the sun and sunlight
HAS TO BE HEALTHY for us. As it
turns out, our bodies actually use the
sunlight to produce chemicals that are
highly critical in our body's function
and our mental well-being. The sun's
ultraviolet radiation, UV for short, comes
in several different wavelengths of light.
UV-B rays, the ones thought to burn,
are the ones that trigger the production
of the major chemical so critical to our
health. The chemical is Vitamin D and
it is critical in our kidney function, bone
formation, blood pressure, immune
system function, etc...

In actuality, it is not truly a vitamin since
it can be made by human skin and thus
need not be added to our diet. In fact,
almost every cell in our body has a
receptor for Vitamin D. More importantly,
this vitamin is chemically a steroid called
cholecalciferol, (aka Vitamin D3). It is
produced in the skin and then converted
to a long-lived molecule in the liver, and
then finally into a short-lived active
molecule 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.
The chemical is fat-soluble and, as such,
could be consumed and stored in the body
in excessive amounts if too much is taken
in supplement form. One of its critical
roles is in controlling the balance between
calcium, phosphorous, and bone "remodeling."
Some people think the reason fractures are
so common in the elderly is due to decreased
sunlight inside nursing homes and the hospital.
I actually agree with this idea.

But back to the issues surrounding the sun.
The hype surrounding sun and skin cancer
is remarkable. Several high profile websites
propagate the hype with phrases such as:

1. "90% of skin cancers are preventable"
2. "skin cancer is at epidemic proportions in the U.S."
3. "well-known behaviors can reduce the risk"

Shamefully, they don't tell you how good
the sun is for you or how harmful the
chemicals are they recommend using to
"prevent cancer." In fact, sunscreen does
not even protect you from the form of
skin cancer called melanoma -- the deadly
skin cancer but also the least common.
(Genetics play a huge role in this form
of cancer and paradoxically the sun may
help prevent it!)

Some of the chemicals in sunscreen include:

1. Titanium dioxide -- absorbed into the skin
--"a potential occupational carcinogen."

2. Octyl methoxycinnamate -- kills mouse
cells in much lower concentrations than
those found in sunscreen.

3. Benzophenone -- used in industrial processes
to initiate chemical reactions -- a prolific
producer of free-radicals

4. 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
--causes estrogen-like effects and
developmental effects in animals

5. Adimate-O -- is a nitrosamine, which
are major players in stomach cancers

6. Homosalate -- may cause aspirin
(salicylate) poisoning

7. Oxybenzone -- causes low sperm
counts and liver toxicity in animals

What no one tells you is that most of the
chemicals in sunscreens are as likely if not
more so to do harm to your system than
the sun itself. And the shocking news is
that melanoma (the deadly skin cancer)
is on the rise in the countries that have
been increasing their use of sunscreens.

Even more proof that sun, skin cancer,
and the hype about it is wrong can be
found if you look at states that have the
highest amount of sunlight and the highest
incidence of melanoma (or vice versa) and
guess what? The states' rankings don't
correlate with each other. For example,
Delaware, which is #3 on the highest incidence
list, gets around 100 days of sunshine per
year, whereas the #46 to #50 states (low
incidence of cancer) receive around 100
days per year as well. Clearly the
pathophysiology of skin cancer is poorly
understood.

But more importantly I want to tout the
fact that the SUN IS GOOD FOR YOU...
there are many studies showing that
exposure to the sun:

1. decreases the risk of melanoma (a paradox for many)
2. decreases the risk of colon cancer
3. decreases the risk of breast cancer
4. decreases the risk of ovarian cancer
5. decreases the risk of prostate cancer
6. decreases the risk of lymphoma
7. decreases the risk of multiple sclerosis
8. decreases depression in the winter
9. causes a regression of solar keratoses

Now having said all this... I can tell you
that if you have more than 50 moles on
your body OR the moles that you do have
are unusual in shape, size or color then
you are at much greater risk and getting
sun on those moles can trigger their
transformation to cancer. Similarly if
you are lighter skinned, red, or
blonde-haired... then you are at increased
risk (albeit small and the risk decreased
with regular exposure to the sun for short
periods of time).

What do I do?

1. I try to get some sun on my body every
day (my face is usually the most convenient
during working hours).

2. I try to not use sunscreen unless I am
going to be outside for a much longer time
than normally, for example a 3-4 hour
period. In those times, I will use an SPF4
or less to reduce my exposure to these
toxic chemicals. (The number represents
the amount of "supposed protection," the
higher the number the more chemicals)

3. I also am very careful to NOT use sunscreen
that has OMC (Octyl methoxycinnamate) --
I found a while ago that it causes a rash days
after application and also seems to make me
react to the sun with more redness than
other sunscreens.

4. Prior to any winter trip to a sunnier
climate, I will stimulate my melanin producing
cells (the ones that darken to give us a tan)
by getting sunlight on my body (see #7)
several times before going on the trip --
even if this means a few tanning-booth
sessions. (Tanning booths however don't
have the full spectrum of the suns rays,
which could be both good and bad.)

5. I am always careful to reduce the
amount of sun I get during the peak burning
times of 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., especially
if I haven't been out much in the sun. I don't
avoid this time but am just careful. For
example, I usually put my convertible top
up during this time.

6. I try and wear sunglasses and a cap to
reduce the amount of direct light to my
eyes (there is a link to cataracts and other
eye diseases), although I do make sure my
eyes get some of that healthy daytime light
by occasionally not wearing glasses during
daylight hours. The eyes are connected to
a bunch of brain structures related to sleep,
happiness, body rhythms, etc...

7. If it is the middle of winter and I'm feeling
a little blue... in the middle of the day I try
and find a nice warm brick wall, out of the
wind, and just sit and get sunlight on my
face and skin as much as possible...

It's such a simple thing that it doesn't seem
very important. But... I look for simple,
cheap, and safe things to improve the
long-term quality of my life. Sunlight is
one of those powerful healing sources.
Don't feel guilty about the sun.

Here's to our health,

Dr. David Eifrig Jr."

Too much water?

Can Drinking Too Much Water Hurt You?

Folks will sometimes ask if it’s possible for all of this water drinking to hurt them. The short answer is no. Of course, if you have some health challenges, you might want to discuss any new health routine with your physician or other health practitioner. But water is not -- except under the rarest of circumstances -- going to hurt you at all. In fact, that’s one of the great things about this program. It’s good for you, makes you feel good, benefits your health, well-being, and looks, and there are no side-effects. So, drink up!

Occasionally someone hears about someone who died from too much water. This is usually someone who is unconscious or intoxicated, and basically drowns. While it is theoretically possible to drink enough water to hurt or even kill you, this is extremely difficult to do. You would have to drink a huge amount of water -- something on the order of a gallon a minute for several minutes. Think about this, and you’ll realize that it’s difficult to do. Possible, but certainly something you’d have to work at.

"Stop the Car! I Need to go to the Bathroom!" or "Water When Traveling"

When traveling, most people are inclined to cut back on their water consumption. After all, they’re a little embarrassed at having to stop every hour or so (on a car trip) to use the bathroom. Or if they’re on a plane, they hate having to climb over everyone else to get to the toilets.

Well, I hope you can get over your embarrassment. Because water is the best thing to solve a number of travel related problems.

Here’s some logistics. In the first place, I recommend that everyone carry a water bottle with them. Our family does, and not only is it healthier, it stops the endless pleading for soft drinks that children are sometimes inclined to do. Drinking water also cuts back on your false hunger pangs, and prevents you from eating as much.

And while you may have to stop more frequently to use the bathroom, that’s actually better for you. Most people are more alert and better drivers when they stop every hour or so, and walk around, even if it’s only for a minute or so. When you’re hopping to the bathroom, take some deep breaths, and you’ll not only feel better, you’ll be a better, safer driver.

If you’re on an airplane, water is even more important. In the first place, there have been several cases of travelers dying from an embolus (a blood clot in the vein) on airplanes. Water helps this out in two ways. In the first place, the extra fluid keeps the blood circulating. In the second, the extra water forces you to get up and move around (by going to the bathroom) and this helps to prevent a blood clot from forming.

As more and more people are traveling, airlines are having to cram more and more people into planes. This means that you will have very little space. It’s simply not a good idea to remain in a cramped space for hours on end without walking around -- even if the movie’s a good one! You might want to get a seat on the aisle, so you can get up and down without disturbing anyone. Even better is a seat on the bulkhead, which is the first row of seats in the cabin. You’ll have more room there. (Even better is flying in first class! But since I’m guessing that most people are not able to afford that luxury, maybe water can make up for it a little bit!)

The interior of an airplane is also dry. The air is about as humid as that of a desert, which is not very humid. Your mouth and throat are likely to become dry, even with liberal intakes of water. You should probably avoid most of the alcohol that’s offered to you, because alcohol will serve to dry your body out even more. Just get on good terms with the flight attendants, accept a big glass of water whenever they offer you something to drink, and enjoy your trip.

How water can heal your body, help you lose weight, and make you feel better: Part 2

Water: Internal and External

We need water both inside and outside of our bodies.

Outside because water cleans our bodies, gets rid of bacteria, and makes you feel better. Not to mention the cleaning that water does for our homes, our cars, and our clothing.

In fact, if you would ever like to be really surprised, do something different the next time you wash a load of laundry. Put the clothing in your washing machine, and don’t put any detergent in the wash load. None. Zero.

Then run the load like you normally do. What will surprise you is that the clothes will be almost as clean as if you had put the detergent in like you normally do. Perhaps not completely as clean, but just about.

This is the dirty secret of the detergent manufacturers: water does 90% of the work. Maybe more. Detergent makes the water more “slippery,” and helps it out. But in most cases -- especially when the laundry is not heavily soiled, as is true for most Americans -- detergent-less washing would do the trick just fine.

But this isn’t a magic trick -- it’s an attempt to make you realize what an amazing substance water is, and how -- if it can do amazing things outside of your body -- it can do even greater things on the inside of your body.

By its very nature, water can hold other substances. That’s why dirty water can be a problem: because it can contain bacteria, pollutants, and other things harmful to your body.

I mentioned the well-known problems travelers can have with drinking water. That’s because in some countries, water treatment is not yet up to the level it is in the US. I’ll talk about that later on when I talk about traveling and water. But some Americans worry about problems with clean, treated tap water in the US. They wonder if it is really clean. They wonder if it has bacteria. They are afraid it might have pollutants.

The good news is that almost all tap water in the US is safe to drink. That doesn’t mean it will necessarily taste good, or smell good. I remember as a child going to the coast of North and South Carolina, and having difficulty drinking the tap water there, not because it was “bad,” but because it has a distinctly salty taste. Again, it was perfectly safe to drink, but different from what I was used to. For smell, there are some water supplies that have, for instance, a distinct sulfur odor. For those of you who have not smelled sulfur, it’s a little like the smell of rotten eggs: a really nasty smell. But many of these water supplies are completely safe to drink. The taste is usually not even affected by the sulfur odor. But if it’s really unpleasant, you might want to switch to bottled water while visiting those areas. (Of course, the alternative is simply to hold your nose -- I’m not joking -- when drinking, and it probably won’t bother you at all).

While we’re on the subject of water, it’s important to realize there are several types of bottled water. All of them are slightly different. And since bottled water can range from relatively cheap to amazingly expensive, it’s worth knowing the differences.

Bottled tap water

Bottled tap water is just what it says it is: water from the tap in a bottle. Now, depending on where the water is bottled, it can taste good or bad, but again, that’s solely dependent on the water, because it’s straight out of the tap. I’m not exactly sure why people buy bottled tap water when they live in the area where the water is bottled, but they do. And they usually pay $.99 a gallon for it around here. How about just drinking it straight from the tap? It’s a bit cheaper.

Spring water

Spring water is taken from a particular spring, that is, a freely flowing water source. Since water bottlers are usually regulated by a state agency, the water is probably safe, and may be good. It’s important to remember that absolutely pure water has no taste at all: it derives its taste from any minerals in the water. Some springs will have more minerals, some less, and you might want to try some bottles to see if you like them.

Distilled water

Distilled water is processed to remove any minerals, and while it is perfectly good for you, it will have a blah taste. Most distilled water is sold for such purposes as ironing clothes. (It should also be pointed out that your body needs certain minerals. Drinking water is one of the pleasant ways of getting them).

Mineral Water

Mineral water is closely related to spring water, and it is usually water from a particular spring, sometimes with carbonation added. Carbonation -- if added -- does nothing to “hurt” the water, but when added, most people tend to think of it as something related to soft drinks, and the price is usually higher. There’s certainly nothing wrong with drinking mineral water, but if you are seeking to conserve money (as well as cure your body!) you might want to reserve it for a special treat.

I’ll repeat what I said earlier: most tap water in the US (and for that matter, Canada, most of Europe, and much of the rest of the world) is perfectly good. When in doubt, either check a guide book (if you’re traveling) or ask your local water and sewer system. They can provide helpful information, and perhaps put your mind at rest.

Growth and safety

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again."

Abraham Maslow
1908-1970, Psychologist

Stopping Colds and Other Respiratory Infections in Their Tracks With Water

Wintertime's on the way, and that means we're at the start of what the TV drug ads call "cold and flu season."

Colds are nasty, and there's nothing "common" about them when you feel lousy. But here are some ideas that may help you combat them this year. Maybe even keep them away.

We all know the nasty sensation of coming down with a cold: when you feel like your head is stopped up, when your nose is constantly running, and when nothing tastes right.

Most of what we call colds are technically known rhinitis, and are caused by various micro-organisms settling on nasal or throat surfaces, and the body’s reacting to them. When your nose is running, your body is trying to get rid of those organisms.

The important thing is to let the body get rid of the junk. People are always trying to avoid sneezing, runny noses, and congestion. But the problem is that they are often treating the symptoms, and not the problem itself. Water treats the problem. Make sure you have plenty of water to let the body do its job.

One of the reasons the old advice (“Rest, and get plenty of liquids!”) was good advice was you could have time to let the body work on getting rid of whatever is causing problems. If you take something to stop your runny nose, all you’ve done is give yourself a dry (and usually sore) throat, and prevent the body from blowing out what’s causing the problem.

It’s not easy to conduct a business meeting if you’re nose is constantly running. It’s not easy to teach if you’re constantly sneezing. But those are some of the ways your body is trying to cure you. If you possibly can, take some time off, rest, and you will recover much faster.

Your body will be going through a great deal of water, and you need to replenish it frequently. It’s easy to forget how much liquid goes out in a runny nose (and probably not something you want to ponder a lot, either!) And every time you sneeze, your body loses water.
So a good rule of thumb is for every time you sneeze or blow your nose, drink some water. Every time. Now the problem is that most folks just don’t feel like eating when they have a bad cold. Neither do they feel like drinking. So you may have to fool your body into thinking that you’re drinking something special that’s not just the water it needs.

The easiest way is to slice a lemon (or lime) and put a slice into your glass. Unlike sugar and other things we are prone to add to water, the trace of lemon adds nothing but taste: no calories, no caffeine, and no carbohydrates.

Another trick is to heat the water. That’s right: serve up plain, hot water in a special cup, and maybe jazz it up with lemon, too.

And as long as you’re drinking your quota of 20 glasses of water a day, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy some other liquids. Hot broth, juices (though not too much: your body needs a rest from digesting, too!) and hot teas can be enjoyable, and help alleviate the boredom.

If you’re drinking tea, you might want to go with herbal, decaffeinated teas. I have nothing against caffeine, when used in moderation, and I drink caffeinated tea almost every day. But when you are sick (whether from a cold, or from something else) allow your body to clear out some of the corridors. Don’t give it the extra task of dealing with caffeine ... at least not now.

The important thing is to keep consuming liquids. Your body may be cleansing out some toxins, and it needs fluids to do that job. Monitor factors such as the color of your urine. If the urine is a dark or brownish color, you need more liquids. (A rule of thumb is that urine should be a light straw color. If it’s darker, immediately drink down 2 glasses of water).

4 steps to get rid of bad breath

OK, no more excuses. Here's how to stop making everyone laugh behind your back after getting a whiff of your noxious breath.

Do you secretly fear that your breath is making people gag? Well you can stop the paranoia right now. Here’s how…

Step 1: Scrape your tongue

The first source of a rotten mouth is a tongue smothered in festering bacteria. If your tongue is fuzzy white, you can bet that that layer of filth is making your breath hideous. Scrap off that white coating with a soft toothbrush or a special tongue scraper- you can get one from any drugstore.

Step 2: Gargle with diluted hydrogen peroxide twice a day

After you scrap off those bacteria, you can mix one part water with one part hydrogen peroxide and gargle with it for 45 seconds. The hydrogen peroxide gets real foamy in your mouth, but it helps to kill the excess bacteria that make your breath stink.

Don’t overdo the hydrogen peroxide though. Give yourself 2-5 day breaks from the hydrogen peroxide because too much of this solution in your mouth can decompose the enamel on your teeth.

Step 3: Eat foods that make your breath smell better

There’s a ton of food you can eat to make your breath smell better. And the fact is, you usually smell like what you’re eating. Drink teas like peppermint, Moroccan mint, jasmine, hibiscus and lemon balm to freshen up your mouth. Don’t add sugar because you’ll totally ruin the cooling effect if you do.

Add fresh foods like ginger, parsley, cilantro and scallions to your meals. Make sure these foods are not cooked. Eating them raw helps restore the natural balance of colon bacteria, which ultimately leads to fresher breath.

Step 4: Empty your colon

OK, imagine this: your colon is directly tied to your mouth. If your colon is a filthy overcrowded cesspool, your breath will stink on an astronomical scale. That’s why stinky smells either go out the anus, seep through the skin, or puff out of the mouth. Which way do you prefer?

Eating bran will help you cleanse your colon. You can also try an herbal laxative. Whatever you do, do not take a drug to get regular unless your doctor tells you to. That’s because most constipation drugs make your colon weaker and less efficient at pushing out the garbage and that’s the last thing you need.

One other thing, you always want to make sure that your stinky breath is not the result of some fungi invasion. Here’s a simple fungus test that you can use at home: First thing in the morning, spit into a class of water. Don’t drink this. Let the water set for the day. If at the end of the day, you see stringy white substances in the class, you could have a fungal infection.

Now, stop making people dizzy and start making them smile with your newfound methods for fearlessly fresh breath.

Using water to get glowing, vibrant skin

I’ve mentioned your skin’s need for water before, but it’s such an important topic that it deserves a section all its own.

We sometimes forget our skin -- until something goes wrong! Your skin is the largest organ of your body. The skin protects us from infections, guards us against harmful effects of the sun’s rays, and helps to regulate our body temperature.

But what most of us think about with the skin is how it looks. All of us have seen those with unhealthy skin or complexions. Their skin has a sallow look, pasty, or drawn. It’s not a pretty sight.

And, of course, what the skin needs is moisture. When the body is inadequately hydrated, there’s not enough moisture in the skin tissues, and that can contribute to the drawn and haggard look so many have.

The skin also needs hydration to clean the body of toxins. Your body is constantly in contact with things that are not good for us. Those things can come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and things we come into contact with by touching. (And in some places in the world -- thankfully not usually in North America! -- even water itself can bring in those toxins).

The simplest way the body gets rid of toxins is through washing. Washing your hands is probably the very best thing you can do to prevent infections, whether your own or someone else’s. Bathing or showering (and shampooing) also get rid of toxic materials our bodies don’t need.

But the cleaning works internally, too. Water courses through your body, a never-ending stream flushing out harmful substances. And if there’s not enough of that water, your body itself can become polluted, something like a river in a time of drought, when there’s just not enough water to clean out all the junk.

Your body can operate like that, too. Because there’s not enough fluid to clean out the toxins, they accumulate in the body’s tissues. The whole body can start to act sluggish, but the place where we see it first is in our skin. And while we are quick to put on lotions and skin treatments, the primary and most important “skin treatment” you can use comes in a glass -- and it’s available from the tap!

Again, the most important means of taking care of your skin is our regular, 20 glasses a day water plan. Keep drinking on a regular basis. You will find that it becomes a wonderful habit very quickly, and you come to miss it if you’re separated from a water source for very long.

Prevention is of first importance, but if you find you’ve been exposed to something toxic (such as secondhand smoke), first wipe your face with cool (not cold) tap water, and then drink a couple of glasses of water right away. You want to give your body a chance to get rid of the toxins right away, and there’s no better way than water.

You may also notice times when your skin looks drawn or haggard, even when you’re drinking enough (or at least think you are!) In most of these cases, what has happened is that you have become busy or pre-occupied, and haven’t been drinking enough. Whatever the reason, start pumping the water right away. You will even find that water will help you to look better if you’ve temporarily not had enough sleep. If you have to miss a few hour’s sleep (or even a whole night) really load up on the water. It will make you feel better and look better until you can catch up on sleep.

Pursuing your dreams

"You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning."

Barbara Sher

Author of "I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was"

How to Get Better Exercise Results By Improving Hydration

Water and Exercise

Your body excretes water in a number of ways: through urination, defecation, breathing (that’s why we always enjoyed breathing condensation on mirrors when we were kids) and perspiration. And when you are exercising, your body can lose a large amount of water. It’s important to keep replenishing that. The water loss is even more pronounced in warm weather, or during heavy exertion. In such cases, you must make provision to take care of the water. 2 or 3 glasses of water for every hour (or part of an hour) of exercise is not too much. This is an area where you must take precautions, especially if you are older, or not used to vigorous exercise. If the weather is exceptionally hot, try to exercise during the early morning, or later afternoon, when the temperatures will be cooler, and when the sun will be less intense. But the main thing you must do is make sure you are taking in an adequate amount of water, and take steps to keep from having too much water go out. Remember, you will be losing a lot of fluid not only through perspiration, but also through hard breathing while exercising.

Having water with you is an easy habit to get into. A friend who lives in Arizona says he can always tell the natives in a crowd at a museum or sports event. The natives -- knowing how easy it is for the body to lose water in the heat and dry air -- are the ones with water bottles.

You don’t have to live in Arizona to use water bottles, though. They are a good habit to get into almost anywhere you go, and you should make use of them to keep water close at hand. When we go on a trip with our children, everyone has a water bottle. Not only does it keep them (and us!) adequately hydrated, it lessens the desire for soft drinks.

And don’t get fooled into thinking that you have to buy a water bottle every time you want to use one. We re-use our water bottles, washing them after every use, re-filling them with tap water, and putting them in a special place in the refrigerator. That way, the bottle is ready for use next time we need it.

But road trips aren’t the only time water bottles are a good idea. Carry one along when you’re hiking, playing sports, biking (any biking shop will have excellent carriers for your bike) or just on your daily commute.

Internal water is not the only thing to remember when exercising. If you aren’t used to exercising, or if you are getting older, or if you have some health compromises, consider using water to be the area where you exercise -- in a pool! Not only is the water easier on joints and muscles, it’s also the perfect spot to work out in very hot weather because while your body will get hot, the water will serve to temper that internal temperature rise.

Sending his cancer a signal

As most of you know by now, I'm a big fan of people taking charge of their own health, relying on others for advice, ideas, suggestions, but realizing that they themselves have to make the final call as to what works and what doesn't.

Here's a good example of a man who did. It's a fascinating story.

Read the ingredients!

You know, the other day I was looking at some things in the grocery store.

Specifically, water bottles.

Pretty dumb, right? Well, not really.

Because all bottled "water" is not alike. In fact, some of the bottled water sold contains a lot more than just water.

What kind of things? Potassium chloride. Or added sodium.

One major brand was even found to be taking tap water (yes, the stuff you get by turning on the faucet in the kitchen), bottling it, after "purifying" it, and adding a few minerals.

The lesson here? Read what's on the bottle. Know what you're getting.

Personally, I think that bottled water -- while convenient for those times when you're on the run -- is often silly and expensive. Especially if you're drinking it at home. What comes from the tap is -- in most locations -- quite pure, and usually tastes pretty good, too. But if you want bottled water, or need it for any variety of reasons, read and heed what you are getting for your money. Not to mention your health.

Taking charge of your own health

One of the important things about taking responsibility for your own health (and this means relying on physicians, nurses, and even bloggers as consultants) is realizing that the information given has to be weighed by you and that you have to make the ultimate decisions about your health.

It also means that some of the things you will come to realize initially don't make sense. But they work.

One of my daughters inherited fairly delicate skin from me. In other words, she breaks out easily. This is from early childhood. I was the same way in childhood.

One of the things that has plagued her for years is a skin irritation in and around her ears. Various ointments will solve the problem temporarily, but it always came back.

The "logical" thing is to think that this is a problem of the summer months. That it's an issue of sweating, and heat, and humidity.

But that logic is wrong. The problem -- while it breaks out in moist areas such as behind the ear -- tended to go away during the warmer months. Which doesn't make sense. Until you realize that the warmer months are the times when we get the most sun exposure. Winter -- while the humidity is lowered, and folks tend to sweat less -- is the time when the sun is low in the sky, and it's usually too cold to get out in the sun much, anyway.

The problem basically went away when we realized early that our daughter's problem was curable with UV exposure. Mostly, that's from the sun. (When it's winter, and sun exposure is more difficult, use a tanning bed. Tanning beds -- as I've pointed out elsewhere -- are wonderful devices, and deserve far more credit that we as a society give them. They're not just for white high school girls wanting to look less white).

What's the lesson here? When you have a health problem, look at what seems logical to cure it, and then look at the opposite, and consider that that might be the answer. If a doctor is recommending surgery, consider whether diet might solve the problem. If the doctor's recommending pills, ask yourself whether exercise might solve your complaint.

You have to live with whatever cure you choose to use. Very seldom is the problem so urgent that you can't take a few days to ponder the alternatives. Use that time. Think about what's been suggested, and see if that's what ultimately makes sense to you.

That "tire around the middle" and cancer

That "tire" that people wear is not only unattractive, it's also bad for us. We've known that for some time, and we keep finding other problems with it. Here's a fascinating story about the link of excess weight and cancer.