Water is an essential component to life, one of the most ignored aspects of our diet. The power of water is completely underestimated when it comes to ones health and wellness. All living things need water to survive. One would only live a few days without it. Water is needed for most body functions, without enough water your body is put under tremendous stress leading to many health issues. You need water for proper digestion and to remove waste from the body. If you change one thing, let it be to drink more pure clean water. If you want to commit to a healthy lifestyle and if you are concerned with your long-term health, make water your next “good” habit.
1. Calculate half your body weight
Half your body weight in ounces is a good benchmark for the amount of water to intake on a daily basis. So, if you weigh 150 lbs, drink 75 ounces of water a day. Seems like a lot but your body will thank you for it. Start slowly but go swiftly. Don’t expect to go from no water to 100 ounces in one day but quickly take the steps needed to get there.
2. Find Motivation… Looking to lose weight? Got a health problem?
You’ve got your first step right here. Dehydration is often the reason for many ailments from headaches to being overweight. Water will not only aid in digestion and toxic removal but it will make you feel full, an appetite suppressor for sure. Hydrating ones self will certainly allow for better body functioning.
3. Upon rising (before coffee) drink a glass
There is no better way to start your day. Our handy best friends (Klean Kanteen Water Bottles) sleep right next to us on our nightstands. As I step out of bed, I grab for the old gal and drink my first guzzle for the day. Since the body wakes dehydrated and full of waste, we also like to drink a glass of lemon water with breakfast to help in the removal of toxins.
4. Every two hours or so, drink!
We take to our 40 ounce water bottles about every two hours usually drinking 10 ounces or so at a clip. Having a water bottle helps in keeping track. Since ours are 40 ounces, we try to drink 2 full ones a day…plenty of water for our size so if we should not complete the mission, we know we’re pretty close. The kids have 20 ounce water bottles. They too try to drink 2 a day.
5. Drink water before and after meals
Drinking a glass of water or taking to the water bottle before a meal will help to fill you up preventing that overeating state. Again, we also drink a glass of lemon water with dinner to aid in waste removal. Plus, its like drinking unsweetened lemonade, changing things up a bit. Drink some water after meals to help with digestion.
Just drink water…and then drink a little more for good measure.
When I put lemon juice in water, it gives me heartburn. I am wondering if your lemon water would be different.
Hi, Nancy! This is Lynn, from the Healing Zone. Danielle asked me to address your question. If you get heartburn from lemon water it likely means you are adding too much lemon, or you don’t have enough stomach acid. When you don’t have enough stomach acid, you can feel heartburn symptoms when you consume a food or beverage that’s high in acidity. While lemon is the ONLY food in the world that goes in as an acid and becomes a TRUE alkalanizing agent once metabolized. You should only add enough lemon so you taste it. Try the lemon from NaturalContents. If that doesn’t work, try lemon essential oil. Just a drop or two. P.S. – if you don’t have enough stomach acid, that’s a whole issue in itself!
Hey Lynn (and Nancy)! Would Apple Cider Vinegar help with the heartburn and/or stomach acid? Apple Cider Vinegar has become a miracle solution in our house (I’m thinking of writing a post soon). Any thoughts?
When lemon water is the problem apple cider vinegar usually doesn’t help. If you have heartburn or reflux in general, ACV can help IF you eat several bites of food first, then take 1 teaspoon of ACV straight. With the lemon water, the thought is that it adds to the acidity issue. ACV really IS great for lots of things, though. WOULD make a great article!