As the invites start coming, the eggnog starts flowing, and the scent of holiday baking is EVERYWHERE remember this…
Water is your BEST FRIEND! Water, Water and more Water! To figure out how much you need to be drinking take your weight, divide by two, and drink at least that much in ounces.
A HUGE key to starting your day right is to drink at least 8 oz before you do anything else (water in the morning wakes you up so drink before coffee). Ideally, drink half your water amount by lunchtime.
This will get your system starting to function properly right away. Drinking water is such a simple thing we can do everyday to feel better, but it’s so easy not to do.
Don’t wait until you feel thirsty (that’s means your dehydrated), get a fun container, set a timer on your phone, or do whatever works for you to make it a habit for the holiday season and LIFE!
Happy falalalala season!
Lesley
Another great idea if you are a keener for our Hydration Challenge is to eat your water as well as drink it. Here is a great article and recipes from Ceres Organics.
10 HYDRATING FOODS AND WHY YOU’LL WANT TO EAT YOUR WATER
Hydration is not about how much water you drink, but how much water you hold. Healthy, hydrated cells are the key to beautiful skin and a healthy body – so below we’ve got 10 hydrating foods with recipes so you can eat your water.
As we age, our cells lose water. When we are born approximately 75% of our body is water but by the time we reach middle age, our body’s water content can be as low as 50%. The Science of Cellular Water™ developed by Howard Murad, M.D explains how cellular water loss causes ageing and why our wellness is determined by each cell’s ability to hold water.
Without adequate water supply, skin cell structure deteriorates and leads to visible signs of ageing, (think fine lines and wrinkles). Water in fruits and vegetables contain nutrients and structured water to nourish and hydrate your cells, (to give you glowing, healthy skin).
The Science of Cellular Water looks at the ability of cell membranes to hold water within a cell as the fundamental marker of youthful good health, because skin can only be beautiful if it is healthy at the cellular level. So how do you provide your cells with water-rich nutrition? You eat it.
Want beautiful skin? Eat your water
Most of us think hydration means drinking eight glasses of water a day, but Dr. Murad says that water “will go right through you,” and along with it, nutrients. Hydration is about the water you keep, not drink so water eaten goes towards replenishing our cellular water and maintaining optimal cellular function.
Water in fruits and vegetables is surrounded by molecules that facilitate the entry of water into cells, which is why it is referred to as cellular water. Cellular water is absorbed slowly, providing you with lasting hydration, so Dr. Murad recommends “eating your water” in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables to keep your body hydrated.
Most foods contain some water but plant foods have more. When you consume water through fruits and vegetables you also get, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and fibre. Cooking reduces the water content so eat your fruits and vegetables raw, whole, blended or juiced. Read on for your top 10 hydrating foods, how to get them in you and get hydrating!
1. Cucumber | Water Content 97%
One of the most hydrating foods – cucumber! Increase the hydrating power of your next green smoothie by adding a cup of cucumber, like the spinach coconut smoothie below.
Add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to your smoothie and bam! you just drank a refreshing 11 grams of fibre too.
2. Strawberries | Water Content 92%
This smoothie recipe combines strawberries and watermelon – both high water content, with our superfood blend antioxidant boost.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 frozen banana in chunks
½ cup frozen strawberries
¾ cup fresh diced seedless watermelon, used in place of water
2-3 tablespoons Ceres Organics Antioxidant Boost
Add all the ingredients to a blender, blend, then drink up.
3. Watermelon | Water Content 92%
Quite simple really, blend watermelon to get watermelon juice and stir through a tablespoon of chia seeds for 4 grams of protein. Watermelon also contains the antioxidant lycopene which is thought to have a protective role against cardiovascular disease, although this is slightly controversial and still under scientific study.
4. Raspberries | Water Content 92%
Combine 1 cup of raspberries, 1 cup of spinach, 1 frozen banana with ½ cup water and throw in 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed. Blend and then down 4 grams of yummy soluble fibre, (ground flaxseed is easier for your body to absorb). We combined them with beets and ground flaxseed in this antioxidant rich smoothie here.
5. Spinach | Water Content 92%
This green fruit-free smoothie will give you enough hydration to share with a friend. 1 cup each of spinach, cucumber and celery, plus 1 avocado, the juice of 1 lemon (lemon has such low fructose levels that even Sarah Wilson allows it), 4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of psyllium husks and a handful of ice.
6. Celery | Water Content 95%
This hydrating juice will give you all your vitamin A requirements for the day. Juice 2 celery sticks with 3 carrots, 1 apple and a ¼ cucumber. A good green juice is going to combine loads of hydrating foods, think cucumber, celery, spinach, grapefruit and or lemon. Not for the faint hearted, you can throw some apple or pear in there to tone it done.
7. Grapefruit | Water content 91%
Boost your metabolism with this hydrating smoothie which combines two super hydrating foods – grapefruit and spinach. Blend 1 grapefruit with skin removed with 1 apple, 2 cups of spinach, a frozen banana, a handful of ice cubes and ½ cup of water. Grapefruit is a great source of vitamin C, so get on this now, winter is coming!
8. Cantaloupe | Water content 90%
Smash your fibre goals with this cantaloupe, banana, seeds smoothie. Makes enough for 2. Blend 2 cups of cubed cantaloupe, 2 frozen bananas, a handful of ice cubes and 3 tablespoons of a mix of seeds like sesame, amaranth, chia, flaxseed.
9. Red Cabbage | Water content 92%
A slightly odd combination but you won’t regret making this vitamin rich beet and berry smoothie. It’s quite possibly the best way to have cabbage.
10. Carrots | Water content 87%
Make yourself an anti-inflammatory concoction by blending 1 cup of carrot juice with a 1 inch piece of fresh turmeric grated or juiced with 2 tablespoons of raw cashews. The cashews are optional but it will make your juice that little bit creamier.
Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric, with anti-inflammatory effects shown to be comparable to potent drugs in various studies. It was even used to effectively and safely treat patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in this study.
