Water

It is called “Water of Life” for a reason. We cannot survive more than a few days without it, while we can survive sometimes weeks without food. We are made up of about 75% water and so is our planet – no coincidence I think. Millions of people in the world barely have access to enough water for survival, let alone pure water; while we in North America are blessed with both abundant and pure water.

Yet, so many of us struggle to drink enough water. Sometimes we just get too busy, or it is quite inconvenient to lug around a container or jug with us. Some of us really don’t like the taste of water. That is usually because we have accustomed our taste buds to the overly sweet stimulation of processed foods and artificial sweeteners, or the intense flavor of coffee, soda or other beverages, thus leaving water tasting very bland at best or even distasteful at worst.

Many people say they don’t drink more because they don’t feel thirsty. We don’t feel thirsty until we are quite dehydrated. Symptoms of dehydration that can occur much earlier include lack of focus and foggy thinking, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches or cramps, irritability, and of course dry skin, dark urine and constipation. Sometimes even feeling hungry is just a sign of dehydration.

So how much do you need to drink? That depends on your size, activity and environment. A rough guide is approximately half your weight (in pounds) in ounces every day. For example, if you weigh 130 pounds, you need to drink about 64 ounces, which equals 8 glasses (8 ounces per glass). Go up from there if you are working out, sweating, it’s very hot or very cold out, or you are ill.

We offer infused water every day in our office, and we’ve been asked to share our “recipes.” I must confess, we don’t really have recipes, but rather just create a combination that sounds good. Not only does it look pretty, it tastes wonderful and helps us drink more water. Just combine a few fresh fruits or herbs along with ice and purified water and enjoy! The longer it sits the more flavor you’ll get. Fresh organic ingredients are always best, but frozen can work too for some.

A client recently shared the following story: “We served our family fruit infused water at Christmas, and since then the grand-kids have been asking for that instead of soda or juice when they come visit!” Isn’t that great? So here are some of our favorite combinations of infused water recipes so far!

Lime-Mint
Mango-Strawberry
Lemon-strawberry
Cranberry-Orange
Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
Strawberry-basil
Pineapple-orange
Lemon-Lime
Cucumber-Mint

The only limitations are your imagination. So, have fun and stay hydrated!