Get Drinking and Eating that Water

We’ve all heard that we need to dink water and lots of it. Good clean water is essential for our body and our health. Fun fact; the adult body is made up of 60% water. Crazy right! At first when I read this I was in a bit of disbelief….but then I got thinking about my body and what in it contained water; tears, sweat, blood, urine, digestive juices…. WOW that’s a lot eh. Well I guess I better drink up!

I am very good about drinking water in the summer. I really don’t forget. But in the winter when it’s cold outside water is not what I usually gravitate to; coffee yes, but water no. I have to be mindful to get my water in; recently I have even resorted to setting an alarm on my phone to make sure by bottle is empty by certain times throughout the day. For me I like to wake up and drink a nice big glass of water. Then I like to have finished my 1.5L bottle of water by 11am and then again by 3pm. Water makes me have more clarity and overall feel lighter. The down side is I probably know where every public washroom is in our town.

There are other ways to get our water in throughout the day. Not sure if you caught it in the title but I mention eating your water…. Foods such as cucumber, melons, romaine lettuce, celery, apples and oranges are examples of water rich foods. Eating these along with drinking water and herbal teas can help you stay hydrated. That being said there are drinks and foods that will help to dehydrate you such as; caffeine, soda, alcohol, fried foods, chips and crackers. When consuming dehydrating drinks such as alcohol follow up each drink with at least 1-2 glasses of water to help rehydrate. I don’t believe in deprivation of any kind but I do believe in being mindful and aware. So when consuming foods that we know help to dehydrate let’s be extra mindful to rehydrate.

5 reasons I keep drinking my water

ENERGY!! Something that most of us are always seeking more of. I have three young kids and often feel tired and sluggish. Hydration helps me keep up. Energy is produced in the cells of our body. This process is significantly slowed down with any hint of dehydration. Keep the water flowing to help keep that energy up.

Digestion, metabolism and elimination. Yup I am doing it. I am going to talk about pooping. In order for our body to metabolize (break down) the foods that we eat we need digestive juices. Guess what they are made of water. Not enough water means not enough juices which means indigestion. That being said don’t guzzle it down right before, during or after dinner. Keep an hour on either side of meals; we don’t want those digestive juices diluted either. Once food is metabolized food moves to our intestines and fibre is bulked up using water so that it can be eliminated. In order to bulk up fibre and move food out we need water. Not enough water results in not enough pooping. Bloating and constipation is not fun.

Immune Booster. More than ever we need to do everything to keep our immune system pumping and working for us. Water flushes our cells of waste including toxins that we take in from our food and environment. When we aren’t flushing these toxins from our body they build up, creating inflammation and increasing the load on our immune system; making it inefficient to fight off infections and illness.

Glowing Skin. Our skin takes a beating if we’re dehydrated. In order to keep our skin vibrant, full and glowing we need water. Without water it begins to sag, become dry and flaky. Our skin needs to sweat to move toxins out. Without sweat, toxins begin to build up and results in a pimply mess.

Weight Management. Sooo many quick and easy ways out there to lose weight right?? do they work? That is for another blog post. But I will guarantee you that keeping yourself hydrated is an amazing way to curb your appetite. Often our body confuses thirst with hunger. Rarely do we think “I feel hungry I should grab a glass of water”. Try it. See what happens.

Now that I have convinced you to drink more water. If you are like me, it can get boring. Ways I like to dress up my water are; adding cucumber slices, a handful of berries, fresh mint or chlorophyll (the stuff that makes plants green). A change in how you’re consuming it; maybe a new water bottle or a new glass. I like drinking herbal teas especially in the winter! Herbal teas can work very much in our favour; different herbs have different benefits for our mind, mood and energy.

So drink up and keep yourself hydrated. CHEERS!!