Water and Winter: A Time to Hydrate and Restore

Welcome to my Journal for Winter 2023. My purpose here is to motivate, inspire and educate you on the value of adequate hydration on a daily basis. I want to encourage a deeper awareness towards water’s importance to your body. 

With winter’s cold air and wetness upon us, I felt the topic of water was appropriate and important. In my Winter and Spring Journals of 2022, I shared experiences and journeys about utilizing water as a training mechanism to support my health from the inside out. Because I am deeply connected to this element, I’m inspired to share more water-related techniques that I implement regularly into my life.

The Importance of Hydration

Good hydration enhances energy, function and vitality.  It improves health from the brain to a deep visceral level. It provides healing properties that support all four elements of health—physical, mental, emotional and social. When you take a sip of water, you are in relationship with every element.

The primary roles of the body requiring support of adequate hydration are: digestion, excretion, detoxification, circulation, lymphatic flow, energy development, maintenance of cognition, skin/hair and nail renewal, the long term health of your synovial joint fluid and muscle recovery. All of these roles maintain the long term function of your brain, heart and lungs and support movement in order to simply stay alive.

In winter, our thirst is generally lower while our stresses can be higher. And when the weather turns cold and dry, we often don’t realize how much more water we need.

How hydrated are you? It’s an important question and a regular topic in my practice with many differing opinions. The science on hydration continues to evolve. According to a recent story on CNN, “…drinking enough water is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing chronic diseases, a lower risk of dying early or lower risk of being biologically older than your chronological age.”

Hydrating from the Inside Out

As I’ve mentioned before, our bodies are about 70% water. (And it’s interesting to note that the earth’s surface is about 70% water.) We need water to survive. It’s a key element often overlooked or taken for granted until it’s too late, or until we experience symptoms that we mistake for other things. Likewise, consuming too much water can be unhealthy for our internal environments. Like different parts of the world, every BODY is different. We all require a different amount to function and survive. So I encourage you to note how much water you drink, and what other fluids you consume prior to making a change.

What Counts for Hydration?

Most fluids you drink in a day count towards hydration. But depending on other components within the fluid, some are not as healthy if consumed too much. Coffee, in moderate amounts (two or three cups per day), counts for hydration. Fruits and vegetables, generally loaded with water, also contribute to our hydration. Alcohol does not and in fact takes water from our bodies. So try to consume one glass of water for every cup of coffee or alcohol in order to balance it out.

How Much Water?

Research shows that the average individual should drink about eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day. However, this may vary depending on your sex, age, local climate and your level of activity.

Note how much water you consume, then implement one extra glass a day and gradually build up. If your urine is clear, you may be too hydrated. If you urinate all the time as you increase the amount for two weeks, that can be normal. Your body is learning to absorb the water, so don’t increase until that stabilizes. Also, include other fluids such as lemon water (squeeze a wedge), as it can support digestion and water absorption. Electrolytes with limited sugar content are beneficial, or a pinch of sea salt in a liter of water to support the replenishment post-exercise or sweating. Water can also help you detoxify. Consult with your doctor if you take medications that may be impacted by how much water you drink.

When do you know you may be dehydrated? You may feel tired or stiff, your joints may hurt, or you may suffer from headaches or nausea. You can feel unfocused, dizzy or confused. These symptoms can also mean other things, so do not ignore them. But if you’re drinking no water at all, or drinking fewer than five glasses a day, then it’s time to consider drinking more.

Mindful Hydration - My Morning Water Ritual

Start by having a glass of water first thing in the morning and one before every meal to support all the functions I mentioned above. I keep a glass of water by my bed and drink it, at room temperature, when I first wake up.

Whether it be one or two glasses, this first water of the day is like putting a match to a fire. It enhances the visceral pathways of digestion/excretion and development of saliva. It stimulates enzymes that prepare you for your first meal and assist with the breakdown of food. It wakes you and all your systems up!

The key to successful hydration is being mindful when you drink water. Take a deep breath. Focus on drinking slowly, allowing the body to fully absorb this crucial element. I start my day by anchoring my bare feet on the ground. I stand or sit up tall, drink my glass of water, and appreciate all that it is doing for my mind and body from the inside out. Then I walk to the kitchen and have another glass with a squeezed lemon wedge or two and stand, still barefoot, grounded in my kitchen as I not only feel the water move through me but also taking time to appreciate my body and the environment of my home which keeps me focused on this process.

I hope this inspires and motivates you to create a new relationship with water, understanding that when you drink water, you’re making a connection with it. You’re creating and nurturing a relationship that supports all four elements of your health. You’re connecting with the very source of life.

Miranda