We recently wrote about achieving and maintaining adequate hydration. In that blog, we highlighted the importance of drinking water and we discussed how your body thrives when it’s adequately hydrated. Without proper hydration, you may end up feeling unwell and not necessarily knowing why. This week, we’re going to emphasize how it’s not only how much water you consume, but the quality of the water you drink that’s crucial.
Water Is Everywhere
We receive hydration from many sources. Any beverage we drink, whether it be coffee, tea, soda, or water will provide hydration. In addition, our food offers the body water.
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“Produce grown in healthy soil and free of additives is rich in minerals, nutrients, and water.”
In previous posts, we’ve discussed that food sourcing, meaning that the foods you choose to eat, need to be from healthy sources. As much as possible, produce should be organic, and animal products should come from healthy, ethically-raised animals. Eating a lot of vegetables can improve your hydration, as there is a lot of water in fresh produce. However, if that produce was grown in depleted soil and coated with herbicides and pesticides, you actually may be creating more stress for your body when you consume it. Produce grown in healthy soil and free of additives is rich in minerals, nutrients, and water.
What Is Pure Water?
When it comes to your beverages, some are better than others. I recommend people learn to enjoy drinking pure water. What do I mean? Pure water is filtered so that heavy metals, parasites, chlorine and fluoride, and other potentially unhealthy byproducts of water production are eliminated. This can be accomplished through a filtering system, or by purchasing well-sourced spring water.
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“Pure water is filtered so that heavy metals, parasites, chlorine and fluoride, and other potentially unhealthy byproducts of water production are eliminated.”
However, if you filter your water, you also will have depleted it of key minerals. Pure water derived from the earth would normally be rich in minerals. These minerals are an important part of your overall hydration as they maintain a proper balance between water distributed to the blood and to the cells. So if you choose to filter, consider adding a pinch of Himalayan pink salt or trace minerals as a way of restoring important bodily resources.
How You Store Your Water Matters
We also have to consider how water is stored. At this point, many of us know that plastic containers can have unhealthy chemicals associated with them. In many cases, these chemicals can leach into the liquid held in the container. When we consume that beverage, whatever it may be, we end up putting these chemicals into our bodies, which can create harmful responses. I like to reuse glass bottles for carrying filtered water wherever I go.
What About Coffee and Tea?
Quality coffees and teas are a good source of polyphenol compounds, which are nutrients important for health and fluids. You have to be careful about the caffeine content, and I recommend people consume unsweetened versions of these beverages, but nonetheless, this can be a healthy source of hydration. If someone has to have some sweetness to the flavor of the beverage, then I recommend an organic Stevia drop to provide that sweetness.
Can I Splurge on Soda?
Excess consumption of soda, even diet drinks, is a contributor to obesity and metabolic diseases. I have a process I recommend for people who are trying to kick their cola habit. You can still enjoy the bubbly experience but eliminate the harmful aspects.
Step-down Process to Eliminate That Soda Fix
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Use sparkling mineral water and add some flavor. There are healthy, organic Stevia blends on the market. You also can use pure, unsweetened, organic concentrates from blueberry, pomegranate, or cranberry. These fruits are rich in nutrients and provide a refreshing flavor.
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Simply add lemon, lime, or squeezes of orange to your sparkling water.
It’s okay that there are days when you decide to drink the soda or the sweet tea or whatever else it is that you enjoy. We like to use the 80/20 rule. Drink h2o 80% of the time to get the vast majority of results. Over time, you’ll see the difference between how you feel when using clean sources of hydration versus unclean. You’ll naturally begin to spend more time exposing yourself to the sources of hydration that support your health and help you feel good.
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“Excess consumption of soda, even diet drinks, is a contributor to obesity and metabolic diseases.”
Stay adequately hydrated, but make sure you also focus on quality hydration. Your body will thank you.
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