Water - the Elixir of Life!

Do you drink enough water?

How much is enough water?

How can you tell when you are drinking enough water?

I first became really aware of drinking water when I was pregnant with my first daughter. Nothing like have a baby standing on your bladder and hooking an elbow into your kidneys to remind you that you have been drinking a lot of fluids lately…

What happened to me was I was using the bathroom so frequently, that I started to cut back a bit on my intake… wrong move! I ended up with a serious bladder infection and I was given a lecture by a doctor who was visiting in the North, but happened to be from my home town and knew my grandmother.

His comments have stood me in good stead all of my life and are a really easy way to tell if you are getting enough water.

He said - you should be filling your bladder at least 4 times a day and that if you experience a strong odour or dark colour when you pass water, you are not drinking enough liquids.

Water is really an important part of our body - did you realize that it comprises 60% of our makeup??

It helps our skin stay young looking.

It keeps our muscles from becoming fatigued too fast.

It helps our gut and our organs process our food and get rid of the toxins.

Even our brain needs it to operate properly.

Plus, for me, it’s a great diet aide.

If you are like me, and trying to reduce your overall food consumption, then drinking a glass of water at the beginning of a meal will not only help you stay hydrated, it helps to fill your stomach and relieves some of the sensations of hunger.

So as you are trying to stay hydrated - one of the questions that always springs to mind is does it matter what you drink?

Apparently, not so much - as long as your body gets as much fluid in as you excrete through your skin, saliva, and bodily functions, you are good.

On the other hand, some of the things we like to drink aren’t that great in large quantities - you don’t want to drink too many caffeinated beverages or too much pop, and you want to watch that your liquid intake isn’t affecting your total calories consumed by too much…

So how do you get enough? First of all, try starting every meal with a glass of water or whatever beverage you prefer.

Next - eat lots of fruit and vegetables with your diet. They are full of liquids and will help to hydrate you as well as providing fiber for your gut.

Try drinking beverages you enjoy - flavouring your water is a good way to increase your intake, but try to stay away from liquids that are high in sugar.

My secret to drinking enough water is I carry a water bottle with me most of the time. I use it to keep myself well hydrated throughout the day. To make the water a bit more interesting, I add essential oils - just a drop or two - to change the flavour, and I also get the benefits from those oils at the same time.

My favourite at the moment is Slim & Sassy - it has a combination of grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger and cinnamon - plus it has the added bonus of helping to support my metabolism and control my urge to snack.

I also really enjoy Peppermint and another I like is ZenGest or DigestZen - I like the flavour and it can be really helpful if you have eaten a rich meal or are just feeling a bit off today...

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how you get your water, just make sure you get enough!

If you are enjoying our Healthy Habits and Lifestyle blogs, why not check out our Members' Library and Lounge? It has lots of great information about how to make essential oils a part of your healthy lifestyle and to reduce toxins in your life.

Have a great day! I'll be back with another blog tomorrow!