While I’m not a fan of winter and cold weather one of my favorite things about this time of year is the seed catalogs that come in the mail. It is a sign that Spring will in fact come and I can actually bring my love of playing in the dirt inside the house in the meantime.
Since he was little, I’ve always involved our son in this process of starting seeds. We pull out the seed trays and mix the ingredients of dirt and plant food together. We organize the seed packs of what can be started now and what needs to wait for warm weather outside. We carefully put the seeds in the pods and talk about how big they will grow. Then we water each little dirt cup very carefully and watch closely for things to come up out of that dirt.
The secret as I tell him every year we do this is always in how much to water those seedlings.
Too much water and the seeds will drown and rot, never taking hold to sprout.
Too little and they will also never come up or they will be weak.
Keeping them wet at just the right amount though, and you have some beautiful sprouted seedlings that are amazing to watch grow and will be healthy to put in the beds outside come spring time.
We Too Are Seedlings
When we start out wanting to pursue a healthier physique we always hear to drink more water.
Give up the soda, caffeine and grab a water.
Want to lose weight? Drink water.
Want more energy? Drink water.
Water is fantastic for our bodies and our cells, organs and blood love it. However, just like a seedling we can experience the same over and under watering conditions that can work against our desired results.
There is an ideal amount of water that is right for our bodies. We are each different in that amount but there are some general guidelines that are quite popular in knowing how much water we need daily. One school of thought is we need about an ounce for every pound you weigh. Another popular one is to drink least 8 to 10 glasses per day minimally. Yet another is to drink a gallon or more a day.
That is a lot of water!
When you are first starting out trying to drink that much water it can seem like it is just going straight through your body and you’re spending the majority of your day in the bathroom.
Honestly, that’s exactly what is happening.
Likewise, the opposite happens if we don’t drink enough water. Our bodies struggle to grow, regenerate cells and function optimally. We hold onto the water we have in our system and retain it for fear of not knowing when more will arrive to our cells.
When you are first starting out switching what you drink or simply increasing your water intake, you have to experiment with what your body needs for the quantity. That perfect balance is your start point whereby you can then increase your intake to the gallon per day quantity if you so desire and need.
Rebuild Your Reservoir
If you’re like me and don’t wish to spend your life constantly going to the bathroom, then here’s the deal, we need to build up to that gallon a day gradually. That is done simply by changing what we drink now one beverage at a time.
Just like the seedlings my son and I plant, we have to give them time to settle, adjust and take root before we will see the results of little sprouts break the dirt and the need for more water increase. If we were to just put dirt over them and drown them in water we will have created mud and nothing for the seed to hold onto and build on for it’s roots.
When you start changing to water, your body needs to first detox and change from what it has going on. It needs to modify how it is functioning to realize there is good water now coming in. Your body knows what to do with that water and can use that to optimize its functions and stop producing the things it was when water wasn’t there. It can start to eliminate the toxins, water retention and other elements it was holding onto when there wasn’t enough water or other things that was coming in instead of water.
For example, if you typically drink 3 diet sodas a day, start by switching one of those with a water. Gradually replace those diet sodas to all water consistently.
I wrote about my love affair with Diet Dr. Pepper and how I was able to finally kick the habit. You can read about it in my post here: https://dragonspitapothecary.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/giving-up-the-soda-bottle/
While I still reserved the right to have a Diet Dr. Pepper as an occasional treat, I admit the last time I did this it didn’t even taste that good to me. In fact, it tasted salty and was not fun at all. I may have finally found the point where I don’t want it anymore.
If you already drink water mostly, start with increasing your intake by just 1 cup more gradually.
Slowly or gradually adding in water, gives your body time to adjust and realize you are delivering the right stuff and it can start eliminating or letting go of what it doesn’t need without flooding your system with no reservoir in place to make use of it.
From increasing the amount of water you intake slowly, you are giving your body the right amount at the right time so it can use it optimally without water weight or it just going through you.
How long this takes to build up to a gallon a day is really up to you. You will start to recognize when you thirsty and be working on building the new habit of drinking continually throughout your day.
For me, I still haven’t reached a gallon a day but I fill my water bottle 2 to 3 times a day typically and more often when I’m active. That’s a huge difference from where I was before.
Water Support
Like seedlings, we also benefit from adding in the right kinds of plant foods to support how water gets used by our systems and how our body regenerates healthy new cell growth.
I know in the winter time it is much harder for me to get enough water in my body. I’m still thirsty in the winter months but water just isn’t that appealing. I want hot coffee, tea and things that are comforting against the cold. Water just doesn’t taste as good and isn’t as appealing for me when it’s cold outside. To help with that appeal, I add in some different essential oils to not only give it a taste but to increase the benefits I get from drinking water. If you use high quality pure essential oils you can take them internally and increase benefits like focus, metabolism, detoxification and more.
When we add in a drop or two of essential oil to the water we are drinking, our bodies have enhanced capabilities to speed up the process of detoxification and elimination of excess. We are supporting it’s function of washing out our systems and replacing it with good things our body actually needs. This helps you not only increase your water intake but gives your body some added support to use that water for the right things, like eliminating toxins, reducing water weight and flushing out the fat. Essential oils can help in this area immensely because of how potent they are and a good quality pure oil has incredible benefits that can be directly delivered throughout our bodies quickly.
Citrus oils are known for their detoxification capabilities and their support in reducing appetite. Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Kumquat and others are good in our water to help with naturally eliminating toxins that result in things like skin concerns, including blemishes, hormonal issues like hot flashes and energy. You can pick a citrus oil that appeals most to you or if you like them all alternate them in your water.
Oils like Cinnamon, Lavender or Peppermint also can be used in water and help with also help this flushing and restoring process our bodies go through when we switch to water. The warm spice of Cinnamon gives that earthy taste similar to tea and lavender is a pleasant floral taste that is fun switch when things start to get dull.
Bubbles Count
If you’re completely hooked on soda and having a hard time switching, start out with replacing your soda with a bubbly water and adding in an essential oil flavor like doTERRA’s Citrus Bliss or Slim & Sassy.
I personally love Pellingrino water with a drop of Slim & Sassy. It gives me the bubbly fizz I enjoy while still counting as a water with the added benefit of delivering some metabolism and sweet tooth controls.
Plus you look like a fancy water drinker who knows their stuff.
Interested in more?
Water Your Body!
It is a very healthy first move to add water to your day. By doing so we are giving our bodies what they need to function and perform. However, the key is figuring how much your body needs and giving it regular water so it can flourish.
If you have questions about any of the oils mentioned in this post, please reach out! I’m happy to help you find the perfect oils to support your physical health goals. There is never an obligation to purchase.
amyk@ dragonspitapothecary.com
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