Water is life
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.”
This quote by Loren Eiseley is the perfect description for the first subject of my healthy living plan, which is water.
Over the course of the past year, water has been a powerful theme of life in South Africa. The ongoing, severe drought in the Western Cape has taken it’s toll on the people, animals and landscape crying out for water. At the same time, other areas of the country suffered violent floods that destroyed homes and took lives.
The fires that devastated Knysna were calmed eventually by water and it’s water that now restores life where there was ashes.
Water is the driving force of all nature and that includes humans. It even helps to make wine! So you see, it really is magic!
Drink plenty of water
It’s a message we hear very often and not without good reason. Taking the most important parts of our bodies into consideration, the brain and heart are made up of 75 percent water, lungs around 85 percent, muscles and kidneys consist of 80 percent water.
In order to have the body function optimally it stands to reason that the water balance must be well maintained.
What are the benefits of drinking more water?
There are a multitude of benefits associated with drinking a good amount of water every day.
- Starting your day with a large glass of water gives your metabolism a wake up call!
- Drinking water is proven to raise your metabolic rate substantially.
- Aids digestion by clearing the colon and improves movement of food through the digestive system, less bloating.
- Keeps skin hydrated and free of toxins.
- Prevents headaches – dehydration is a major cause of headaches and even migraines.
- Boosts brain function and productivity for better focus and clarity.
- Increases muscle function and energy.
- Drink water to control appetite – drinking water an hour to 30 minutes before a meal will help you feel satiated without overeating. Drinking water often throughout the day will keep snack attacks at bay.
- Improved flow of nutrients and distribution of hormones throughout the body, ensuring that you function and therefore feel your best!
The how’s
How do you find ways to make it easier for yourself to remember to drink more water and actually stick to it?
I have a particular routine that I follow which makes it much easier for me. This includes the following:
As soon as I manage to pry my eyes open and peel myself out of bed (it’s not that I don’t want to rise and shine, I just really love my bed) the first thing on the agenda is a large glass of warm water.
Apple Cider Vinegar
I pour about a quarter glass of hot water, stir in a teaspoon of raw honey and two tablespoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Top it up with tap water and drink. Then I follow that up with another glass of water.
There are a few reasons why I start with this and not because of it’s celeb status. Growing up, my grandmother did the same thing every day and the smell of ACV reminds me of her in the kitchen every morning. Things we grow up with tend to stick. Lemon and honey in water is another favourite of mine.
It’s not just for nostalgia though. Research is not always 100% conclusive as to all the benefits of apple cider vinegar however it has been used medicinally for centuries.
I will definitely not claim that it’s a magic potion but it has been proven to have various benefits in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle overall. Some benefits are:
- Regulating blood sugar, assisting breakdown of starch
- Enzymes found in the unfiltered ACV aid digestion
- Acetic acid can increase the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and minerals from food
- It’s antibiotic and antimicrobial and especially when combined with honey and water can soothe coughs and alleviate allergy symptoms
- Antioxidants are good for healthy skin
Important to note never to drink apple cider vinegar undiluted. 2 Tablespoons is a maximum daily amount which you can easily also ingest with salads or fish, equally good and much better than 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise!
Further to this it’s also very important to do your own research before starting anything new and consult a doctor if you have any kind of pre-existing condition. A well balanced article I found about apple cider vinegar is here, should you want to start looking through more information.
Getting the 3 litres in
General consensus is that an adult should be drinking about two litres of water each day, however for weight loss you should have at least three.
I find it helps me to keep a 1,5 litre bottle with me, finishing the first one before lunchtime and then refill. I easily have my share of water this way, especially when I have a desk day.
We’re lucky to have the luxury of clean and safe tap water in Jozi and my personal preference is water from the tap or at room temperature. Of course you can chill it, add fresh lemon or berries (not artificially flavoured water) to make it more interesting for the tastebuds.
I also like to have either black rooibos tea or Senna tea, which counts towards water too as well as having their own tea-licious health benefits.
Yes, frequent bathroom trips will be part of the journey at first but the bladder will adjust soon enough. Think of it as a little exercise and a chance to stretch your legs.
One small step for the body… one giant leap to beautiful wellness! If you don’t manage it right away please don’t beat yourself up. Remember to be gentle… tomorrow is another chance to be better.
With that, I think my well of wonderful water wisdom has run dry!
Please let me know if you have any tips for drinking water, or how you prefer to drink your water. Feel free to ask any questions here or via email.
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xxx
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