Feeling Meh These Days? We Have the Magic Solution.
Stephanie Gatschet
If I told you there’s something that can help you lose weight, detoxify, improve the appearance of your skin, and feel better in your body, and that this thing is free, easy, and doesn’t require leaving your house, changing your diet, or taking a pill, would you be interested? Now that I’ve got your attention let me tell you about the easiest thing you can do to improve your health today: drink more water!
It sounds cliche, but you would be pleasantly surprised by the results if you made a strong commitment to incorporating more water into your daily wellness routine.
On an energetic level, when we are dehydrated, we start to feel sluggish, tired, and unmotivated. On a physical level, our skin loses its luster, our joints feel stiff, and our bodily functions slow. When properly hydrated, our whole body functions more optimally, from our organs working to eliminating toxins all the way down to our skin cells glowing. We feel more energized, enjoy more ease in our movements, and we look better. Why wouldn’t we want to do this?
To maximize the benefits of drinking water, try adding crucial electrolytes, like a pinch of Celtic sea salt or an electrolyte supplement like Trace Minerals.
Electrolytes are minerals that regulate fluid balance in the body and are essential for making sure our bodies can make the most of the water we drink. Drinking bottled mineral water, sourced from a mineral-rich spring, is also a great way to enhance fluid intake with natural electrolytes.
If you want to enjoy the many benefits of proper hydration, but find it challenging to get enough water each day, start by committing yourself to create the simple habit of drinking half your bodyweight in water (in ounces) daily. For example, this means that if you weigh 150lbs, your goal is to drink 75oz of water per day. Increase that amount if you’re sweating a lot from exercise or time in a sauna. Ideally, 25% of your daily water intake will be consumed first thing in the morning before coffee or breakfast. If your water target is 75oz, you should try for close to 20oz of water upon rising.
Here are a few of our favorite tips for hitting our daily water goals:
- Use a water bottle you absolutely love. The more you love your water bottle, the more likely you are to keep it with you. Find one you’re stoked to carry with you, and then follow through!
- Enhance the flavor of your water. If you’re not excited about your water, try adding lemon, ginger, mint, cucumber, or a drop of 100% pure essential oil to your jug to give it a bit of flavor. This also gives your water a boost of phytonutrients. So it’s a win-win.
- Set reminders. Don’t let forgetfulness be an excuse not to hydrate. Set an alarm on your phone, utilize sticky notes in strategic places, or ask your housemates to remind you at random times.
- Track your intake. Tracking can be as simple as placing a checkmark on a notepad for every 10oz of water you drink or using a phone app to make sure you’re hitting your intake goals.
Pro tip: Choose a water bottle made of glass or stainless steel. Plastic water bottles can leach chemicals like BPA’s into your water, which can harm your health.
Remember: It takes around time for a behavior to become automatic habit. So don’t stress if you make it halfway through the day and realize you haven’t had more than a sip. Instead, let’s make it a goal to collectively drink more water. Our skin will thank us.
Stephanie Gatschet MS, CNC, founder of BioVie Nutrition, is a clinical nutritionist and Certified Nutritional Chef based in San Diego, CA. She uses functional, holistic nutrition principles to create personalized plans honoring the unique bio-individuality and lifestyle of each client. She teaches meditation for adults and children at the Kadampa Meditation Center San Diego and elsewhere, and is mother to Vela (age 5).
