My grandmother (now 93 and still rockin' good skin without any plastic surgery) taught me at an early age to drink 16 ounces of room temp water first thing in the morning and I can not thank her enough for this habit! Do it before you eat breakfast for it to be most effective. Repeat at least 3 more times throughout the day. I bought 16oz tumblers from Pottery Barn so I don't have to worry about measuring the ounces.
Why room temp or warm water? The Chinese believe that ice is to blame for many of the malaise that effect the female body (especially during our monthly cycle). I don't know if it's superstition or if this theory has medical validity but ask any Chinese woman who is not completely westernized and she'll tell you the same :) Go ahead, try it, all you risk is having great skin and good health.
While I don't quite have the habit of drinking enough water, I totally agree with you. I feel like I have the greatest skin when I have a sore throat because I'm drinking so much water.
My parents wouldn't ever let me drink cold water. Actually they don't let me drink cold drinks, period. When we go out to restaurants together, my parents would always tell the server not to add ice to my drinks.
It's now a habit for me to not drink things below room temperature. I keep my drinks in room temp, but my hubby refrigerates everything. It's especially frustrating when I take out a bottle of water from the fridge to warm up, and find it back inside the fridge before I drink it!
I'm Chinese, born here but raised in Taiwan, and my mom tells me the EXACT same thing!
And let me guess, she has flawless skin... right?
Boy, we're letting all the ancient Chinese secrets out, hope our ancestors don't mind :)
xoxo
Beauty Snob
My habit of drinking water constantly has resulted in me lugging a water bottle and the need to search for rest rooms everywhere! But clear skin and bright eyes more than make up for the inconvenience. Guess some of these old wives tales really work huh :-)
And for those who has no gastric problem, mix the juice of a quarter of a lemon in a glass of warm water every morning - great for flushing out toxins.
hahaha....I am the same, Chinese born in Taiwan but raised in Canada, and both my mom and grandmom always tells me to drink luke-warm or hot water, no ice allow, otherwise I will suffer from my period (BADD cramps). It works soooooooo well, and if I actually did have a bit more of the ice related stuff, I always get terrible cramps.
I am Chinese too, but raised in California. My family usually has a pitcher of luke warm water in the kitchen as well as an electric water boiler that keeps water at near boiling temperature. I think it's because the Chinese believed that boiled water is better (which is true, boiling kills a lot of bacteria), and perhaps cold water is associated with it being retrieved from a stream or river (which might be contaminated?). As for cramps, I think the warmth just relaxes the muscles down there.
I too drink a LOT of water. And many people have complimented me on my skin. I think soda and coffee dulls one's complexion (though I'm not guiltless in it).