We hate the word anti-aging. Because aging is exactly what we want to do. Aging is actually becoming more and more of who we are. It is about the constant growth, addition, and development that leads us to new levels of wisdom and determines our very capacity for handling life. You naturally accumulate, over time, experience; life stories; knocks and celebrations; and, above all, the wisdom they contain. We relish what those lessons taught us and how we’ve learned from them. That’s called aging, so let’s champion it. The real question is not how to anti-age, but to age well. The simple answer is not to dry out.

The ability to remain a vital person as we age, full of energy, alert, and buoyant is all we have been discussing throughout this book. How could hydration not have a rejuvenating impact on aging? Recall watering that wilted plant. The new science of hydration equates water intake with energy intake. In Quench we have given you the science of why that is so. Hydration is our most potent and best pathway to, well, we are not going to say anti-aging, but instead, life expectancy, the kind that is full of energy. The life expectancy we all want is vibrating with alertness, being aware and experiencing the exquisite and connected network your body is. Our inner water orchestrates the elements within us. That’s beauty!

If hydration is not already inside of you, then all those beauty creams, moisturizers, serums, and capsules are not holding in very much. Those products are important, but the most important part of their job is to support the hydration already within you. Every esthetician knows hydration and good skin start from within, and great estheticians make hydration their first recommendation. Water and wisdom go together.

Pomegranate Beauty Water

Pomegranates are loaded with powerful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, the oil from the seeds has been shown to have anti- inflammatory benefits, and it increases collagen in the skin.

__Ingredients: __

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1⁄8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• • 3 1⁄2 cups filtered or spring water

Directions:

In a 1-quart, wide-mouth canning jar, coarsely crush the pomegranate seeds with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the salt and water over the seeds. This can be refrigerated or enjoyed at room temperature, and there’s no need to strain.

Dr. Dana Cohen, MD, is a Integrative Medicine physician and the author of Quench: Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through the New Science of Optimum Hydration.