How to stay hydrated: water water everywhere

This post gives you some simple ideas on how to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Even though water is SO good for us, it can be hard to remember to drink enough of it on a busy day.

This post has a few ideas on how to drink more water throughout the day AND how to get the most out of the water you drink.

Some water facts to get us rolling:

• Approximately 70% of the body is made up of water (which is roughly the same percentage of the earth’s surface that’s covered in water(!)

• Water is vital for the health of our skin and hair.

• Having enough water is the best way to boost energy levels.

• The flow of water throughout our cells helps us process wastes and toxins as well as emotions.

• Water helps joints move smoothly and muscles feel less tight. (dehydration of local tissues is often a factor in arthritis).

• and so many more things, but that’s a good start : )

Without further ado, here are some of my ideas to help with remembering to drink lots of water.

1. Have water on you!

Ok, this one may seem really obvious, but its amazing how little water I'll drink if I don’t have it physically nearby at all times.  I love drinking water, but I just won’t do it if it means having to interrupt something I’m doing to go get it. So, I always keep a water bottle nearby.  I even wrapped it up with a yarn case so I can carry it around with me.

[caption id="attachment_429" align="aligncenter" width="300"] (hat style optional)[/caption] If you don’t have a water bottle, you could just keep a large glass of water where you spend a lot of time.  Fill it up before you sit down, and it'll be there when you need it.

2.Daily triggers:

This idea revolves around remembering the benefits of water (see above).

So, for example, if you’re feeling a bit lethargic and bogged down, remember that water helps with energy levels, and drink some! If you feel like your skin is looking a little dry or oily, drink water! If your joints and muscles feel stiff, drink water! If you’ve been going through a lot lately, drink water!  It'll help you process your experiences and clear out emotional residues. The cerebrospinal fluid that bathes your brain and spine is 99% water!  If your brain is feeling slow, drink water!

 

3. Spice up your water.

If you have trouble with the taste of water, or you just want to mix it up every so often, you could try adding some subtle flavors by infusing your water with fruits, vegetables and herbs.  Here are some ideas if you’d like to try that out:

• add sliced cucumber and fresh mint to a pitcher of water and keep it in the refrigerator
• add lime and basil, or strawberries and basil (or strawberries and lime and basil!)
• make up your own recipe with whatever you have on hand. The idea is just to infuse the water with subtle flavors.

4. Get the most out of the water you drink.

Sometimes when we drink water it just kind of runs through without really getting into the cells.  One reason this can happen is that stress and emotional distress can cause cell walls to become a bit rigid.  To help combat this, I recommend doing a water hydration visualization every so often while drinking (see below).

Water visualization: Close your eyes. Take deep breaths between sips of water. See and feel the water going into and out of each cell of the body, deeply hydrating it, and carrying waste away.  Focus extra attention any parts of the body that feel tense or tight.

I do this once every couple of days or so.

And those are my thoughts for today!  If you have any other ways that help you remember to stay hydrated, please share in the comments below : )

CHEERS!