Hydration! Hydration! Hydration!

There is always a lot of talk in health, wellness and nutrition circles around the importance of hydrating your body. Some say that once you feel thirsty, it’s already too late; you are dehydrated. Others are of the school of thought that once you begin feeling thirsty, you are 1 quart low on water. But why is it so important to remain hydrated? & how do we do this without running to the bathroom every 5 minutes? & more importantly, (and this is something few people think about) how do we stay hydrated BUT maintain a healthy level of electrolytes, vitamins and minerals in our bodies? Your body is a sophisticated “machine” and it knows what it needs. The key is for us to be able to accurately decipher what our bodies are telling us and nourish it in the best way possible. 

So let’s talk water and your body! Here are some basics:

• The adult, human body is made up of 60% water.
• The brain & heart – 73% water
• The lungs – 83% water
• The skin – 64% water
• The muscles & kidneys – 79% water
• The bones – 31% water

All in all, that’s a lot of water. And that makes hydration essential to everything from having supple, youthful looking skin, to your digestion, to keeping your joints lubricated, to feeling focused and energized.

A few symptoms of moderate dehydration are:

• Thirst
• Reduced sweating
• Reduced skin elasticity (i.e. dry skin)
• Dry mouth
• Headaches
• Tiredness, dizziness or feeling light-headed
• Constipation 

The pee test! Aim for your urine output to be pale yellow to relatively clear. The darker, the more dehydrated you are. 

What To Do?

1. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies with high water content. Examples would be:
   1. Watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple  
   2. Cucumbers, celery, radishes
   3. Dark, leafy greens like swiss chard and spinach
2. Drink herbal teas such as chamomile or hibiscus infusions.
3. Drink organic broths. For extra credit – make it a bone broth 😉
4. Drink ½ your body weight of water in ounces, daily. BUT here’s the caveat! Add 1 tsp (to 1 Tbsp if it’s a big jug) of Himalayan sea salt and/or squeeze ½ lemon and/or add a sprig of organic mint or cucumber slices.
5. Avoid caffeinated drinks (until your hydration levels are good)!! NO coffee or coffee drinks. No Soda/Pop. No energy drinks. If possible, limit your intake of these regardless.

Recipe Time!

I like to aim to carry a 1Qt (32 oz.) mason jar of Beautified Water with me, that I refill as needed throughout my day. That way I help out Mother Nature, by limiting the plastic I consume, AND I keep my body well-hydrated. Win-Win

Aloe Water

32 oz filtered water

2-3 1/2 inch slices of organic aloe vera

½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt 

½ teaspoon Chlorella/Spirulina *optional 

Fun Fact: Aloe was considered the plant of immortality by the Ancient Egyptians. It is packed with antioxidants, great for detoxifying the gut and is known for its regenerative properties.

Collagen Boosting Water

32 oz filtered water

3-4 organic strawberries, quartered

3 slices organic lemon

½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

1 sprig organic lavender, crushed by hand *optional

Fun Fact: Vitamin C is one of the main building blocks for healthy skin.

Refresh-mint Water

32 oz filtered water

4-5 slices organic cucumber

1 sprig organic mint, crushed by hand

½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

Fun Fact: Cucumbers have a cooling and soothing effect on the body, which makes this a great recipe for those hot summer days!

Stay hydrated, my friends!