Daily Ritual no. 1- Water

Daily Ritual no. 1- Water

I’ll be honest there were many days in the not so distant past when my beverage intake started with coffee, moved to tea and finished with wine. NO WATER, not a single drop in my day! And I’m a health expert! Don’t I know better? YES! I do BUT reality sometimes makes our world different than how we’d like to see it. Something as simple as the Daily Ritual of consuming healthy water in healthy amounts can somehow seem elusive. What the heck?

Not consuming enough water is dangerous for your health. It affects everything from your mental well-being to your physical structure. Dry skin, dry hair, pain in your abdomen, confusion, unhealthy weight gain, brain fog, lack of energy- all of these things and more can be the result of not consuming enough water.

So enough already! Let’s drink some water... let’s have enough of the RIGHT water to make a difference in your life. Drinking optimal amounts of water can help you lose weight, improve mood, improve your adrenal function, giving you more energy and will help you battle daily stress.

How much water should you drink daily?
A general rule for consuming water says that you should be consuming at least 8 glasses of water. The Mayo Clinic suggests 15 glasses for men and 11 glasses for women.(1) WOW, if you are like me that could seem like a steep hill to climb. Remember though that 1 cup of water is only 8 oz. or 236 ml. One simple and easy way to begin consuming more water is to set a timer every hour and to enjoy 8 oz. /236 ml of water every time it goes off.
Your water intake should increase based on your activity level and the weather where you live. Throughout the day you are continually depleting your water supply, through perspiration, elimination and activity. To stay properly hydrated you’ll need to plan to re-supply throughout the entire day.

There are other ways to consume water besides drinking a cup every hour. Watery fruits and vegetables, tea and other beverages that contain water also help with rehydrating. Beware though caffeinated beverages that contain water do not count in this equation because they pull water from the body.(2)

What kind of water should you drink?
Today we have access to all types of water- alkaline water, spring water, distilled water, tap water, filtered water... many options to navigate. Here are some basics on each to help you decide which water is best for you.

Tap Water: Water from the local municipal water source. Often in health circles we hear not to consume water from the tap. This is a good suggestion because tap water is often full of cleaning agents, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and other synthetic chemicals that are impossible to remove from the general water supply without advanced water technologies. Since many areas are not using these yet it’s best to at the very least filter your tap water with a basic filter. To learn what is in your local water supply you can check the website of your local water management company. Tap water is regulated by the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency.

Spring Water: Typically sold in bottles throughout the world, spring water is regulated by the Food and Drug administration so it is more heavily scrutinized for contaminants. Spring water is bottled from a natural source and comes up from the underground into a spring. Sometimes spring water is classified as “Artesian well water” because it is pulled up from the underground and does not come to the surface on it’s own. This is essentially the same water. Spring water usually has the highest volume of mineral content. The number 1 thing your body is looking for in water besides it’s hydrating value is the mineral content. Minerals support all the vital functions of the body and help to build strong bones and connective tissue.

Alkaline Water: There are many machines on the marketplace and brands that will take filtered spring water or purified tap water and turn it into a high PH alkaline water. The benefit of consuming alkaline water is that it works to quickly support a balanced PH in your body. Disease cannot live in an alkaline environment so it is imperative for healing that you work to keep your body in a neutral vs. acidic state. Many spring waters are also naturally PH neutral or slightly alkaline. Tap water trends towards an acidic PH typically. Intervention programs aimed at quickly reversing a health challenge often include alkaline water for at least 50% of daily water intake in order to give the body the best opportunity to fight auto-immune issues.

Filtered Water: The magic in filtered water is the TYPE of the filter. Every filter removes a different ppm (parts per million) of debris, sediment and chemicals. We are fortunate because we have new technologies all the time coming into the marketplace for simple filtration systems that remove a high volume of harmful ingredients from your water! One common type of filter is a reverse osmosis filter. These have 3 stages of filtration and remove even the minerals from the water. This can be dangerous because your body NEEDS minerals coming from water. The good news is many RO filters now have a 4th stage which “re-mineralizes” the water. Other types of filtration include UV light, distillation and pitcher filters that use a carbon based filter to remove impurities. Distilled water also has all the minerals removed through a boiling process. Due to the high heat involved a high number of the living properties in the water are lost. (3) Dr. Emoto documented the power of water to shift and change. “Structured water” has been the result of these findings being practically applied to various forms of filtered water. Many water stores will run water through a spinning vortex, apply different frequencies of sound to water and place water in egg-like structures for holding in order to influence the structure of the water.

It’s a lot to take in right?! Many clients remark that a healthy balance of high mineral clean spring water with some alkaline water options mixed in help them to feel their very best. The first step can often be connecting to a great source of water in your area. It may be a filter in your own home, health store, delivery service or a great water store providing bulk options in your neighborhood. If you’ve read through this and feel overwhelmed on where to start here is my best suggestion for you. Drink at least 8 glasses of healthy spring water a day this week! Try a brand listed below- buy 4 or 5 of their large bottles and enjoy it. Treat yourself on this, you can figure out the rest later. Once you get into this Daily Ritual you can begin to update and edit your selections week after week.

Try this one ritual on for size and share how it helps you online @jennyrossrawfood. This morning I can proudly say I’ve already enjoyed 33 oz. of Mountain Valley Water and I feel fantastic! I’ll admit it was not easy setting this goal into motion.

Here are 3 more ideas that helped me to begin enjoying water.

  1. Start the day with a water flush- That’s 16-24 oz. of water upon rising before consuming any other type of beverage. (Thank you to one of my original mentors Steve Meyerowitz!www.sproutman.com)

  2. When you feel sluggish in the afternoon you could be dehydrated- before reaching for a snack or giving in and taking a nap try 8 oz. of water and see if it perks you up!

  3. Several health educators agree that water with a meal can actually distract from the digestive process. SO instead of water with a meal how about 16 oz. BEFORE each meal- wait 15-20 minutes and then enjoy your meal. (This also helps prevent overeating - wink, wink!)

 

What are some of our favorite brands out there & why?

Water

Mountain Valley Water: Available at health food stores and for delivery in the US

This water has a number of healing properties, incredible flavor and tops the charts for clean and healthy! It’s commonly available in glass, water will leach plastics from the bottle it is stored in so choosing glass bottles is very important to your overall health. www.mountainvalleyspring.com

Acqua Panna: Italian Spring Water available in glass worldwide. This is a high quality mineral water from a spring. Available in glass and has a nice sparkling variety which could be nice option for those looking to eliminate soda and replace it with a healthy hydrating option. https://www.acquapanna.com/us/

Voss: Icelandic water, with a high concentration of electrolytes to support your energy levels. They have a new variety “Voss Plus” with additional minerals. This water is also available in glass and BPA free plastic. https://vosswater.com/

Filters
Brondell: This is a countertop 3 stage that allows some important minerals to pass through intact. A good overall system for any home at a reasonable price. https://www.brondell.com/water-filter-systems/countertop-water-filter-systems/

Berkey: Recommended by Dr. Hyman, this line of filters offers options of all sizes. The Berkey excels at removing heavy metals. Some municipal water supplies have excessive heavy metal contaminants in their water. If your region is one of these I highly recommend this system for added safety in your water supply. https://www.berkeyfilters.com/

*I am not compensated by any of the above companies. These are genuine reviews of recommended products that have benefited many clients worldwide over the past 20 years. There are many other great options in the world today if you need support please email ritualforhealth@gmail.com for additional feedback.
References:

1.https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=So%20how%20much%20fluid%20does,fluids%20a%20day%20for%20women

2.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/9013-dehydration#:~:text=Alcoholic%20and%20caffeinated%20beverages%2C%20such,and%20may%20upset%20the%20stomach.

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