“You are not sick, you are thirsty.” Fereydoon Batmanghelidj MD
Drinking water is an essential Pillar of Health and a great creative stress management technique. It is also one of the cheapest and simplest ways to prevent and transform illness. It supports the body’s electromagnetic energy-system and it is an excellent beauty and anti-ageing remedy. However, 90% of us are not drinking enough water to reap the above mentioned benefits and remain chronically dehydrated.
As with many of the other Pillars of Health and the techniques and tips discussed on this website, when it comes to hydration there are some things you can do to get higher returns on your investments.
My Top Tips For Drinking Water
Below are my top tips for drinking water and some precise, small action steps to convert these tips into habits.
TIP 1: My Top Tip
If I was to only give you one tip it would be to ensure that the quality of water you consume can be easily absorbed by your body. This can be done by adding a tiny pinch of sea salt in precise measurements to the water you drink. Do not use table salt as this is adulterated salt and best eliminated from your diet. Use sea salt – Celtic sea salt or best still crystal Himalayan salt – all of which can be found in any health shop.
Why: The more water you consume the more you need to replace the electrolytes in your body. Adding a tiny pinch of sea salt to your water can replace any lost electrolytes and ensure the body has all it needs. Electrolytes play an essential role in maintaining homeostasis within the body and regulating its many functions. They allow cells to communicate with each other and the kidneys help ensure that the concentration of electrolytes remains constant. For the electrolyte balance to be maintained it is really important to balance your sodium intake and water consumption.
Dr Fereydoon Batmanghelidj was a political prisoner of the Iranian Revolution. Lacking medication, he discovered the curative abilities of water and salt and went on to treat over 3,000 prisoners and many more upon release of a range of ailments and illnesses.
Action Steps: Dr. Batmanghelidj generally recommended about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per quart or litre of water (about 32 ounces). Or about 3 grams of salt (1/2 teaspoon) for every 10 glass of water. It is extremely important to take the correct amount of sea salt. You need less if your diet is already salty. I highly recommend investing in Dr Batmanghelidj’s books and following his guidelines. The successes and healings of people who have used this approach will also inspire you.
TIP 2: Get off to a good start
Re-hydrate first thing in the morning. When you wake up drink a couple of glasses water.
Why: During the night you can lose as much as a litre of water through sweating and breathing. Remember sweat is often invisible to the eye! It is important to replace this fluid as quickly as possible so your body is in the best possible condition to start the day.
Action Steps: Make it easy to drink water when you first wake up by placing a glass and covered water jug by your bed, or leave one waiting for you in the kitchen or somewhere convenient. If necessary find a way to remind yourself to take a drink until it becomes a habit.
TIP 3: Have water available at all times
Have a bottle or glass of water with you. When on the move ensure you have water available wherever you are.
Why: Your body requires more water when you are on the move or exerting yourself, especially on a warm day. If you don’t make water easily available you are far less likely to drink it and before you know it a couple of hours have gone by and you’ve not had a drop to drink at a time when you most need it. Drinking water regularly throughout the day will completely transform your energy levels.
Action Steps: Get yourself a secure drink container you can fill up when on the move or have some water bottles available. I use various sizes of Sigg bottles.
TIP 4: Use creative triggers and reminders.
Use Post-It notes and charts to help you to develop good water-drinking habits. Link drinking water to already established habits eg everytime you go to the bathroom, drink coffee or watch TV.
Why: It can take time to develop new habits, especially when replacing habits you have had for years. By setting up systems which remind and encourage you to consistently drink more water throughout the day it easily becomes automatic, habitual behaviour.
Action Steps: Think of 3 actions you can take that will remind you to drink more water throughout the day. For example places you can place reminders or triggers which will help . Share your creative suggestions below!
TIP 5: Use water as a brain booster
Drink plenty of water before an important meeting, an exam or any time when you need to enhance your mental abilities and concentration.
Why: Even a 2% drop in hydration can affect you physically and intellectually and slow down mental recall. There is evidence that lack of water can have more serious, long term consequences such as neurological implications and depression.
Action Steps: Write down at least one regular activity where you could get in the habit of drinking water beforehand to boost your brain and then set up a system to remind you.
TIP 6: Alternate your drinks
Drink a glass of water before or after every cup of tea, coffee, juices, fizzy beverages or alcohol that you consume. Remember, your intestine can assimilate about 0.2 litres every quarter of an hour.
Why: Caffeine is a diuretic so you need to drink more water for the extra fluid you lose. Water will also help to flush out the toxins and sugar present in alcohol, juices and carbonated drinks and assist the body in maintaining a healthy pH and electrolyte balance.
Action Step: List some practical ways that you can remind yourself to do this and then implement them. It may be helpful to recruit a buddy to remind you, especially if drinking alcohol.
TIP 7: Make water your detox, beauty and anti-aging remedy of choice
Give your body and skin a treat. Make drinking water your number one choice as a beauty and anti-aging remedy. A cup of hot water with lemon or lime, especially first thing in the morning, supports the liver and aids detoxification. This is a powerful cleanser so you might get a slight reaction as the body cleanses itself.
Why: When you are dehydrated the skin is the first organ to suffer as water is conserved for the liver and kidneys. Drinking healthy amounts of water can be more beneficial and economic than some of the beauty products on the market – many of which contain undesirable/untested toxins.
Action Step: Why not try water and lemon first thing in the morning for a week?
TIP 8: Create, visualise and connect with your own Hydration Action Plan
The guidelines for drinking water vary. The common recommendations are 8 glasses per day (most agree that a glass is about 225ml), about 35ml per kilogram of body weight or half an ounce per pound. It is reckoned that the average man needs about 2.9 litres and the average woman needs 2.2 litres. You need to drink more water if exercising, taking vigorous activity, consuming alcohol, caffeine, drugs, a salty diet or on hot and humid days. Remember alcohol, coffee, tea, and caffeine-containing beverages don’t count as water. Build habits based on the above information that work for you. If you need to increase your intake do so slowly to give your body time to adapt and eliminate toxins.
Why:Most of us find it easier to build and stick to good habits if we are clear on exactly what we are doing. Drinking more water can be vague and abstract and difficult for the subconscious mind to translate. Whereas aiming to drink 2 glasses of water on waking up, 1 before coffee break, 2 before lunch etc is much more specific and easier to remember, measure and make into a habit.
Action Step: Create your own Hydration Action Plan. Be specific about where, when and how are you going to drink the glasses of water. Use the SMART Goals to help you. Do you have a glass/bottle you enjoy drinking out of? If not buy one. As you create your plan visualise yourself doing it and if any obstacles or emotions come up then deal with then or revise your plan.
TIP 9: Change your state when you drink water
Enjoy every mouthful of the water you drink. Most of us are blessed to have the luxury of water on demand and the opportunity to employ these Top Tips. Be patient with yourself and allow time to build these life-promoting habits. As you drink be aware of the gift you are giving yourself and all the amazing bodily-functions that the water is supporting. Each time you drink you can use it as an opportunity to count your blessings, connect with your heart and shift your state.
Congratulate yourself for drinking more!
Why: Here is an opportunity to get double returns on your investment. All the health benefits you get from drinking water and no longer being dehydrated, and the psychological and emotional benefits from using the act of drinking water to create positive states of gratitude – which in turn benefit health.
Action Step: Find creative ways to link some positive thoughts, feelings, visualisations etc to the action of drinking water. Check out the amazing work of Masaru Emoto. Congratulate yourself for drinking more!
I would love to hear how you get on with the above tips and the differences you notice. Do you have any tricks or tips or insights you could share to help others out? If so, leave a comment below.
