If your body is generally healthy - and I don't mean “not sick or injured” but “healthy and active” - you will move easier, you will breathe easier, you will have more concentration, you'll be more energetic. This will all add up to you looking more alive, feeling better, smiling more, being more content, and…yes…looking more beautiful.

Right off the bat: this isn't about being thin, or even necessarily “optimum weight”. This isn't about eating a certain kind of diet, or avoiding certain foods or substances. This isn't about having perfect skin or hair. This isn't about doing zumba dance every week, or jogging every other day, or taking up yoga. Everyone will follow the same broadstroke outlines to be healthy, but specifics are going to be up to each individual to figure out, maintain, and adjust as needed. Because of that, this tutorial is going to be far more vague than successive tutorials…but it's important to address. One definite upside to these tips is that they all have to do with your daily habits - and once you change your daily habits, the cumulative positive effects just keep coming.

Drink enough water

Our bodies are mostly fluids - when chemically broken down, we're over 50% water. The average human can survive for two weeks without food, but will die of dehydration in just three days without water. We all lose water every day through normal body functions like breathing and perspiration, and that has to be replaced regularly to maintain healthy kidney function, blood flow, digestion, muscle health, and skin tone (to name a few fairly obvious things.) So how much should we drink?

As it turns out, the "common knowledge" about drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day isn't exactly accurate. It's a quick and easy way to figure out how much water you should be drinking, but one rule does not fit all. The Mayo Clinic's web site gives some good information on how much fluid one needs each day, and why. As always, your specific optimum intake amounts will vary, depending on age, weight, diet, and activity levels. Still, the "8x8" rule is a decent starting point.

While the May Clinic's site does say that any fluid consumed can count toward daily water intake, be aware of what you're drinking and how much of a given beverage you're drinking. If you drink too many sugary things, you'll gain weight and may really throw off your body's sugar levels. Many types of alcohol actually dehydrate you, so alternating water with a cocktail isn't just a good way to avoid getting drunk - it's a good way to stay hydrated. Always drink water before and after heavy exertion, to keep your body's fluids topped off (yep, just like a car. And don't get me started with the dipstick jokes.) It is possible to drink too much water - it's very uncommon, but it is possible. This results in lowered electrolyte levels and low blood sodium. If you ever feel like you're constantly thirsty, or you stop perspiring even when it's hot and you're exerting yourself, or you're urinating far more frequently - contact a doctor.

Rest

We need sleep, regularly! Ideally, the average adult should get 6-8 hours of sleep a day. How much sleep you need depends on your individual routine, health, and circumstances; and we're all able to go for a few nights with less sleep (sometimes, significantly less. Not that I'd know anything about that. Aherm.) But if we lose too much sleep, we not only feel the effects, but it starts to show. Our skin loses color and elasticity; our eyes may appear duller, especially if the whites become yellowed or bloodshot; and our movements become...a bit less coordinated. When I'm too tired, my face swells and sags - not just bags under my eyes, but my whole face. And not in good ways. It ain't pretty. The last time I deprived myself of significant amounts of sleep was in 2004, when I attended a a science fiction convention. My face looked...well, odd. Like it was partially made of Silly Putty and had been squunched in subtle but weird ways. That doesn't even count my problems thinking clearly or actually taking part in conversations.

Teenagers need more sleep than average because their bodies are changing significantly. Their cells are renewing themselves rapidly, and even with a great diet and activity/exercise routines, their bodies just need more downtime. People over the age of 50 need less sleep on average because, barring illness or injury, the body's cells are not reproducing and replacing themselves nearly as much as younger people - even people in their early 30s. For myself (female, over 40, sedentary job, no major health issues) I'm happiest when I can get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night, though I've occasionally gone for a week or so averaging 6 hours a night. If I sleep for 10 hours, it's either because I've exerted myself (ask me how much I slept on days when I was painting my house!!) or because I'm ill (or trying to come down with something.) I've also noticed that if I sleep in on the weekends - if I get 9 or 10 hours of sleep - I'm a bit sluggish for that entire day, even if I start my day off with a walk and my usual coffee.

Exercise

Most of us have sedentary jobs. We work in an office of some type, we spend most of our workday sitting or standing in one spot, we don't get up and move much except to come into work, leave work, and take short breaks. This takes a toll on our bodies that we may not realize. Find some way to exercise your whole body, just a little bit, every day. The point isn't to burn calories or exercise certain muscles as much as it is to get up and -=move=- every single day. It gets your blood pumping, helps your energy levels, and keeps your muscles and joints from stiffening up as you pass the age of 30. Do whatever is the most fun for you, whether that's walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, hiking, yoga, tai chi...whatever works.

When I start my day with a 20-minute walk, I feel more focussed and energetic that day. It doesn't take a whole lot of exercise...a 20-minute walk? That's once around the block, and that's not even powerwalking. Just plain old "strolling along wearing my headphones, nodding at folks I pass, occasionally stopping to look at the scenery" walking.

Minimize stress

I'll wait for you to stop laughing hysterically / and or swearing incredulously.

Back? Okay then.

Life is stressful - very much so these days when we're all wired into everything and our cars have more brainpower than we do. You have a finite amount of time, you have to figure out how to spend that time, and you have umpty-bajillion things clamoring for your attention every day. You have to do your laundry, buy groceries, prepare food, pay bills, file taxes, go to the doctor (hopefully just for routine maintenance checkups), clean all the things, and generally be a responsible adult. But...being a responsible adult also means taking care of yourself. Give yourself permission to relax regularly, breathe deeply, be aware of everything around you, let yourself recharge, and prepare to do the next thing. There are more methods of relieving stress than I (or anyone) can readily count, so I'll leave it up to you to figure out how to manage your stress. Do you need total quiet for relaxation? Is music your stress relief valve? Maybe you're happiest when you can end your day with a glass of wine, some fruit or vegetables, and a rambling conversation with your spouse. Or - hey - maybe you just need 30 minutes of shut-eye. (Naptime: it's not just for kindergartners.)

When I get too stressed, everything slowly goes to pot. I have to work harder concentrating. I don't get to sleep as easily, and don't sleep as well. I don't eat and drink as regularly, and I'm more likely to eat junkfood. I feel more sluggish, which means I'm less likely to go out walking every day. It's a nasty vicious cycle. I end my day by reading for an hour (unless I'm so tired that I just go straight to sleep.) Music is also a source of therapy for me: I've found that when I have music playing, I can concentrate better. Music is to my hindbrain as a pair of socks is to a small child: something colorful-shiny-harmless to keep it entertained while my forebrain gets some actual work done. Late last year, I found one particular site that contains lots of good posts about relating to people, reducing the physical and emotional clutter in your life, perception of self versus and in relation to the rest of the world (and how that can affect what we do and how we act), and lots else. It's definitely a thought-ful site, so it's not necessarily a "stop and browse and pick up pithy wisdom-nuggets" type of spot; but I enjoy reading the posts when I've got some time and space set aside to just sit and read and think. (Even if it's only 10 minutes to sit and read and think.)

Now that we've paid a little attention to the inside and the whole system, and pointed out ways that your internal health can affect your appearance, let's figure out how to prep and prime the canvas: your skin. Next tutorial: skin cleansing and care (to be posted 9-Apr-2011).

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