Aging is one of those words that strikes fear in the hearts of many. I’ve recently come to terms with the fact that our bodies age, that they should age, and have decided I’ll roll into wrinkles and grays as joyfully as possible. It’s the cognitive part of aging that kinda freaks me out!

Once you start learning about hydration you quickly realize the vital role it plays in aging, and the potential benefit proper hydration could have on slowing the aging process down. I like to say that hydration is the fountain of youth….because it really is. I honestly feel sharper and more energetic than I did in my early 20s!

Let me explain.

In my hydration course, I teach students about the fascial system. I break it down into really simple terms despite the fact that it is a very complex system. Fascia is a gossamer, saran-wrap like material that runs throughout our body. We have miles of it connecting almost every cell and type of tissue inside of us.  Fascia has three really important jobs:

1. An irrigation system – it helps take the water you drink and disperse it throughout your body to all the places that need it.
2. A waste removal system – it collects the cellular waste created by your cells and helps transport it to collection centers where it can then be excreted as liquid or solid waste.
3.  A communication system – fascial tissue creates an information superhighway throughout your body that helps transmit your brain’s electric messages.

The more hydrated and supple your fascial tissue is, the more efficiently it can conduct all three of these functions. The goal of my course is to teach you how to properly hydrate so that you aren’t just drinking water, but rather absorbing water down to the cellular level so that it can be utilized by your fascial system.  Ever feel sluggish or cloudy? That is actually your body’s very first signal to you that you need to hydrate. Ever experience constipation? Aches or pains with your joints? The first place you should look is your fascial system and your hydration.

Aging is, in it’s simplest terms, the process of your fascial tissue drying out. As we age we no longer transport water throughout our body to all the places we need it and as a result, our joints ache because they aren’t properly lubricated, and we struggle with various symptoms of dehydration. Our body struggles to efficiently collect and remove our cellular waste, resulting in a build-up that can lead to diseases like cancer. Our brain’s signals start to transmit more slowly across this dried out system, meaning we think slower, struggle to recall information, and get tired more easily.

So what can you do about it? Here are my three suggestion:

1. Make sure you’re staying hydrated and hydrating properly. Which requires a combination of drinking water, eating water, and moving water throughout your body (my course is all about this).
2. Take care of your fascial tissue and stimulate it regularly. The best thing you can do is avoid long stretches of being sedentary. Aim to get up at least every 60-90 minutes and move. Massage, dry brushing, foam rolling, and acupuncture are also great ways to care for your fascia (I have more suggestions in this blog post).
3. You can use a collagen supplement. Fascial tissue is made up almost entirely of a protein called collagen, and our body begins to produce less of it after the age of 25. Taking collagen can help support your body’s production of it, slowing the breakdown of this tissue over time (I also have an entire blog post about the collagen supplement I take and my favorite recipes).

And best of all? You’ll be doing these things for your long-term cognitive health, but will likely notice some cosmetic benefits along the way, as well. Proper hydration will help your skin look brighter and plumper, helping fill in fine lines and wrinkles. And a collagen supplement not only supports your fascial system, but encourages healthy hair, skin, and nails, too!

I also want to share something super fascinating that I’ve been learning about! Telomeres play an important role in how we age. Think of them as the “bumper” on your DNA. They are an endcap for your DNA strand and their job is to protect your DNA from the type of damage that can lead to premature aging, disease, and death.

Their job is to take the impact and protect your DNA strands, but over time that can cause them to shorten. When they become too short the cell basically becomes useless and dies. Having your cell die sucks, but it’s actually better than the alternative, which is that instead of dying the cell is just severely damaged and can no longer correctly copy it’s DNA. This is how tumors form. There are many things that damage telomeres, but chronic stress is a very prominent one.

I have two methods for protecting and supporting my telomeres. The first is hydration, which helps ensure all of the cells in my body are properly insulated and lubricated, and also ensures my brain is hydrated which helps me with both cognition and mood state. When we are better able to process information we are better at controlling our emotions and our stress level.

The second is managing the six major aspects of wellness in order to avoid stress. This can have a profound impact on the health of your telomeres over time. My best-selling design, The Daily Page, is perfect for this as its entire purpose is to help you prioritize the 6 major aspects of wellness: sleep, exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, mental health, and healthy relationships. In my course, The Hydration Checklist, I not only teach you about hydration and how to properly hydrate, but I also show you how to properly use The Daily Page to live a healthy, hydrated lifestyle and make it consistent so that you enjoy all the benefits, including slowing down aging. (a printable PDF version of The Daily Page is included when you enroll in The Hydration Checklist).

So, what do you think? Is hydration the fountain of youth we’ve been searching for in the beauty aisle? In my experience, a hydrated lifestyle makes a far greater impact than any $100 bottle of serum ever could. Happy hydrating!