Hydration

Ways to Increase your Water Intake

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Transparent cup of green tea with lime on wooden backgroundWater is vital for so many different processes in the body, which would makes sense seen as how we are made of mostly water. When not adequately hydrated, one can experience such “side effects” as muscle cramps, headaches, low blood pressure, dizziness, constipation, poor concentration, etc. On average, an individual should consume 2 liters per day of water. This can be challenging for those on the go or with busy schedules. There are many great apps available to help individuals keep motivated to increase water intake, but in addition to those apps, this blog might have some tips and tricks to help you increase your water intake.

  1. Start every day with a large glass of water.

When you very first wake up, have a bottle/glass of water waiting for you. When you go to sleep, you make be depriving yourself of water for 6-8 hours per night. By hydrating yourself when you first get up, you can help your body to bounce back from this deficit and come closer to reaching your daily water intake goal.

  1. Have a glass of water before each meal.

For certain individuals with particular medical conditions, this may not be the best idea. However, for some this can provide a great way to increase your water intake and to help you feel fuller and decrease your portions at meal – time.

  1. Following having a coffee, alcoholic beverage, or caffeinated tea, have a glass of water.

All of these beverages can dehydrate the body, so by consuming water with them, it is hoped that this would balance out the dehydrating effects of them.

  1. Carry a reusable water bottle with you – at work and play.

Making water more readily available can help to encourage adequate water intake, and make water more readily available.

  1. Have a drink of water every time you have a break or get up from your desk.

Having water at these various occasions and making a habit of it can help you get closer to your goal and help you to regain your concentration for the next bout of work that you have in store for the day.

  1. When in doubt, set a reminder on your phone.

For some, a lot of these tactics do not work, and so, setting an alarm on your phone, computer, etc. to remind you to drink water ever hour or so can be a helpful tool to achieve adequate water intake.

What if you do not like water?

Of course not everyone is a big fan of water and may require some time to get used to the taste of it. If that is the case, some of the options below may help ease the process of switching to water for some.

  1. Try adding fruits/vegetables to your water

Some water bottles have infusion baskets making this very easy, but otherwise you can simply cut up wedges of fruits such as strawberries, lemons, limes, oranges, or melons and add them to your water. You can even try adding such vegetables and items as cucumbers and mint leaves.

  1. Drink herbal teas

Herbal teas can contribute to water intake as long as they are caffeine free. Such teas that could help increase your water intake include peppermint, chamomile, lemon, Echinacea, etc.

  1. Drink coconut water

Coconut water can provide some individuals with a taste that they can tolerate as well as increase water intake.

  1. Dilute your drinks with water

When all else fails, gradually adding more water to your already made drinks can provide a way to adjust to the taste of water in a tolerable way.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Fasting Essentials

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Fasting black and whiteA fast is defined as the following by the medical dictionary: “is voluntarily not eating food for varying lengths of time.” It is used as a medical therapy and/or a spiritual practice. As some of you may know, my husband and I recently completed a 40 day fast, where we only ate 1 meal per day. This fast was the first one for which we embarked on such a task, and as a result, we learned much from it. It is my hope that this blog will help provide you with some resources and information to help you if you ever choose to complete a fast (of various types) yourself.

Plan  

A fast is not something to be taken lightly. It takes not only a physical toll, but a mental one as well. As a result, it is beneficial to plan before completing a fast of any kind. For example, when we completed our fast we were deciding whether we should eat one meal per day or fast meat for the duration. Because there were various holidays involved and social gatherings that we could not control, we chose to eat the one meal per day (after considerable thought and prayer) in order to prevent other’s plans from being interrupted by ours.

Be Prepared 

In addition to planning, it is important to be prepared. Specifically, temptations will arise to have what you are fasting, e.g. chocolate cravings if you are fasting chocolate. Having strategies in place before the fast such as making snacks less accessible by removing them from your home or from plain sight can help your fast be more successful.

Seek Medical Advice

It is important that you seek medical advice before fasting, especially if you have any medical conditions such as high or low blood pressure and diabetes. These medical conditions can be impacted by the lack of food or fluid in your diet, and so, speaking with your health care provider, or a naturopathic doctor, can help you plan what the best approach to your fast will be, in order to avoid serious complications.

Stay Hydrated

With any fast, it is important to stay hydrated. Your body is going through a detoxification process spiritually and physically, and water can help your body flush out any toxins. In addition, fasting can decrease the fluid you are consuming, and so, this could cause your blood pressure to go down, leading to dizziness. By ensuring you are having adequate water intake, you will be less likely to have these symptoms. For my fast, I used coconut water to help curb any blood sugar drops, and to give variety with hydration. In addition, it is beneficial to avoid excess consumption of caffeine or alcohol as these drinks tend to dehydrate the body, and put the body into a greater hydration deficit.

Inform Those Around You

When you are fasting, temptation is not only internal, but external as well. By informing your family and friends of what you are doing, it can help your fast be more successful through their support, and help decrease the temptation from their actions. For example, if you are avoiding chocolate, and your partner does not know this, they may offer you some chocolate or eat it in front of you, causing you to feel tempted to discontinue the fast.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.