- poor digestion
- bad breath
- headaches
- sluggish thinking
- skin breakouts
- general fatigue
It's possible that you may not be drinking enough water. After all, it is summer, a time when we tend to play hard, sweat more, and spend prolonged time in the sun.
One of the easiest and most important things we can do to look and feel our best is to simply just make sure we're are drinking enough water everyday.
What's enough water? As a general rule of thumb 8-10 eight oz. glasses is a good place to start. Of course you want to adjust your daily water intake for activity level (the more active, the more water), where you live (in the mountains you're going to want to drink more), climate (the hotta, the more watta), height, weight, etc....
I know, it sounds too easy, but try it out for a few weeks, making the necessary individual adjustments, and see if you experience the following benefits:
- Improved Skin Quality Water not only improves the elasticity and texture of the skin, but can lessen the degree of nasty acne breakouts. Drinking plenty of water helps to flush toxins from the body that would otherwise try to escape through the skin in the form of pimples.
- Curbed Cravings Sometimes when we feel hungry, our bodies are actually telling us that it's approaching dehydration. If you're inappropriately hungry or experience a strange food craving, drink a glass of water and wait fifteen minutes before reaching for that treat. Drinking enough water actually contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.
- Improved Mood and Feelings of Well-being When we're not getting enough water we get tend to get irritable. Do yourself and everyone who loves you a favor, DRINK WATER and FEEL HAPPY!
- Increased Energy and Improved Overall Health We can live without pretty much anything in the world for 3 days EXCEPT water. Our bodies are comprised of approximately 80% water. If we're chronically dehydrated, we're chronically not functioning at our full potential. When we give the body what it needs to do its job properly, in this case appropriate hydration, we experience it in the way we look, feel, and function.
Staying hydrated doesn't have to be a chore or a bore! There are lots of ways to fill your daily quota of water that are easy and taste good.
- Spruce your water up with a few slices of cucumber, a twist of lemon or lime, a fresh mint leaf, or some freshly squeezed ginger juice. I personally like to add a drop or two of doTERRA therapeutic grade oils to my water. I add tangerine or lemon oil in the morning to support my liver, and DigestZen, a combination of oils that support healthy digestion, after a big meal. These are easy, no calorie, ways to add some life and health benefits to your water.
- Brew a batch of herbal sun tea. Here's how: choose one of your favorite herbal teas. My herbal tea of choice is a mix of my two favorites: hibiscus and peppermint. Place 4-5 tea bags (in my case, 3 hibiscus and 2 peppermint) in an extra large mason jar, fill with filtered water, screw on lid, turn upside down, and place in the sun. After 5-6 hours or less, the sun's rays will have brewed you up a batch of lovely tea. You can either pour the tea over ice with a freshly torn mint leaf or place in the refrigerator to cool. You can drink this healthy concoction throughout the day. If you like it sweet, add a natural sweetener, like stevia or agave nectar, to the mix after it has brewed, but before it is cooled.
*Don't have extended exposure to the sun or want to cut down on time?
To make this iced herbal tea on the fly, you can skip placing the jar of water and tea bags in the sun and do one of two things:
1) Place the jar of tea bags and water directly into the refrigerator. A few hours later you will have a cold, refreshing, and delicious herbal beverage.
2) Place the tea bags and 1 cup of boiling water in the jar. After 3-5 minutes, fill the rest of the jar with cold water. Pour over ice and enjoy immediately.
- Keep a full container of water accessible throughout the day, whether you are on the go or at your desk. Having a bottle of water nearby will remind you to take a sip when you are thirsty.
- Drink water with lemon in the morning. Get in the habit of drinking a large glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon upon rising in the morning. This healthy habit not only flushes out your kidneys and liver, but helps to cut down cravings for stimulants, like caffeine. This too can be made into a lemonade if you prefer something sweet. Just add your favorite natural sweetener.
- Increase your daily consumption of seasonal fruit and vegetables. Cucumbers, melons (watermelon, yum!!!), tomatoes, lettuces, and onions are all high in water content. Eating this seasonal produce as is or juicing it can be a divine experience in the summertime AND help you to stay hydrated and cool. Here's how to make my favorite summertime thirst quencher:
Watermelon Fun
Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh or frozen watermelon
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup of coconut water
Fresh mint leaves to taste
A few ice cubes
Directions:
Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth.
I hope these simple and tasty suggestions inspire you to drink more water and stay hydrated in the hot sun! Cheers!
