Last month, I participated in a Wellness Fair and provided samples of what I call “Spa Water”. The importance of water is crucial for our bodies. When the body needs water, our brain sends signals of thirst. This is an essential survival mechanism that helps our body maintain fluid balance.
One tip I always recommend is having a pre-filled water bottle on hand. This is one of the best habits we can practice to ensure proper hydration, but even with the super sleek containers available today, most people still do not achieve adequate water intake. NOTE: Every process in the body requires water. If you don’t get enough, you could face more than dehydration. Kidney stones, loss of cognitive function, constipation, and fatigue can all be related to poor fluid balance.
Sometimes we are looking for something a little less blah… The lemon wedge is always a nice touch, but we’re often wanting more. Let’s talk about some fun ways to jazz up water and transform your water from hydration to styling libation. Here is a simple style formula with some recipes to try:
MUDDLED FRUIT + HERBS + LIQUID BASE + CITRUS + OPTIONAL ADD-INS
MUDDLED FRUIT: Soft fruits work best. A drink muddler is meant for this task [it’s what they use to make mojitos] but you can also place fruit in a bowl and break it up with a fork or use a mortar and pestle to gently break apart fruit.
HERBS: Here are a few of my favorite combinations – just chop coarsely and muddle with fruit before adding liquids.
- Mint + Watermelon
- Basil + Peach
- Rosemary + Grapefruit
- Sage + Blackberry
- Lemon verbena + ANYTHING!
- Cilantro + Lime + Honeydew
LIQUID BASE: You want to go for color and flavor.
- Herbal Tea – I absolutely love hibiscus for its gorgeous color and rich flavor. Steep four bags in a cup of boiling water to increase the density of flavor. One of my favorite brands is Republic of Tea.
- Green Tea – Everything from matcha to yerbé mate, it’s all good. Be sure to select caffeinated varieties as the health-promoting flavonoids are destroyed during the decaffeination process.
- Lemon Tea – Add the rind from the lemon to 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse. Oh so good!!
- Ginger Tea – Peel and coarsely chop a 2-inch piece of ginger and bring to a boil in two cups of water. Simmer for 5 minutes then let sit to infuse. Definitely helps with immunity!
CITRUS: Squeeze in to finish and add some slices for visual impact.
- Lime
- Lemon
- Orange
- Grapefruit
ADD-INS: (These are totally optional)
- Splash of sparkling water – Everyone loves a little fizz!
- Cucumber – Nothing screams refreshing quite like a cucumber! Just peel and process in a blender to purée. About 1/2 cucumber per drink works great.
- Chia seed – Add chia seed to make a Chia Fresca! This seed holds more than 30x its weight in water and can help maintain hydration long after you have emptied your glass. Try adding 1 teaspoon to your glass and stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes before drinking.
- Stevia or a touch of agave for added sweetness
Style It: Try these delicious recipes and put your own style into them!
- Cilantro-Lime Melon Cooler: honey dew + cilantro + matcha green tea + lime juice + cucumber
- Ultimate Aqua Fresca: strawberry + mint + hibiscus tea + lime + sparkling water
- Fuzzy Peach-Basil Chia Fresca: peach + basil + peach green tea + lemon + chia seed
- Blackberry-Sage Cooler: blackberries + sage leaf [just one will do] + berry green tea + sparkling water
- Citrus Rosemary Refresher – nectarine + rosemary [just a few leaves with stem for garnish] + green tea + grapefruit + cucumber
For more about hydration, grab my Spa Water handout here!
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Style Your Diet 