March Challenge - Drink more water

This month, not only are we focusing on staying hydrated and helping our kidneys cleanse our bodies, but we also want to get out all the bad stuff. By that I mean - 

1. Sodas
2. Diet sodas
3. Sugary flavored drinks
4. Drinks loaded with fake sugars
5. Commercial juices

I think it’s a pretty well known fact that soda is bad for us. There is a laundry list of negative affects on our health. Caffeine, sugar, additives.... There is nothing good for you in a soda. From what we know about most sugar substitutes, diet soda is even worse. 

Same goes for sugary flavored drinks and their “diet” counterparts.

I know that most of us think of juice as a health food, and the juice companies want you to think that you’re getting a “full serving of fruit” in each 8oz glass. Grr. Don’t make me get on my false marketing soapbox. 

must resist the soapbox...

The thing is, in pasteurized juice (All juice you will find on the grocery store is pasteurized. Even in the cooler.) many of the nutrients, especially the micronutrients, have been cooked out during pasteurization, and the “natural sugars” are now basically processed sugar because of the heat of pasteurization. 

All juices are high in sugar. Fruit is fairly high in sugar, too, but it is loaded with nutrition, it’s in a natural state, and it’s accompanied by a good amount of fiber to balance it out. Once it’s been juiced and cooked to death, it’s no better than a soda. Did you know that an 8oz glass of juice has the same amount of sugar as an 8oz glass of soda? 

Yech.

So what can I drink?

Drink things that are good for you. Drink water, milk and plenty of milk kefir, kombucha, or water kefir. You can also drink herbal teas and other caffeine free teas. Best to avoid caffeine for the month, especially if you know you have an addiction to it. 

I know what you’re thinking - "I’m going to get so bored with just that." Well, so what, it’s good for you! You’ll probably get used to it. I know that we find most sugary drinks to sweet for us nowadays at our house. I like a good soda once in while, but I can usually only handle 4-6 oz before I feel full. Sometimes, you just have to give your body a chance to relearn what’s good for it. 

If you want to flavor your water up a bit, add some sliced lemons, cucumbers, or mint leaves to it. Very refreshing! Hot water with lemon slices can also be very nice, and it’s supposed to be extra cleansing.

Tips for increasing your water intake:

Keep track of what you drink. I have a few different containers I drink out of, depending on what’s clean or if I’m going out or staying home. Since I’m pregnant, I try to get my eight 8oz glasses of water, plus a few extra glasses through smoothies, water kefir, milk kefir and kombucha.

I keep a few colored hairbands on my bottles. It takes three of my green bottles to make my daily allotment, so I start with three bands at the top of my bottle. As I finish each one, I slide one band to the bottom. This helps me keep track.

Flylady recommends taking a long drink each time you go to the bathroom - it’s good habit to get into. The more you drink, the more you’ll pee...so the more you’ll drink! I try to do this when I’m at home.

Flylady also recommends putting a mark (she says a star sticker) on you calendar each day if you meet your goal. It’s a throwback incentive from your grade schools days. I haven’t tried this, but maybe I will this month. I have this great Sandra Boynton calendar that came with lots of stickers anyway.

But I’ll be peeing all the time!

Yea, you’ll probably use the bathroom more, but your body will eventually adjust. I notice that if I don’t drink enough for a few days and then get back to drinking a correct amount, I do have to make more bathroom runs for the first day. It doesn’t make sense, I would think my body needs that water from me not drinking enough the day before. My theory is that my body is using that water to “clean out”, and when it gets done with that, things go back to normal. Not sure.

Do you have any tips to share? I know that my list of “to drink” and “not to drink” is not exhaustive, so do you have anything to add?

Happy sipping!

*I mentioned milk kefir, water kefir, and kombucha a lot in this post. I’ve talked about probiotics, milk kefir and kombucha before, but not water kefir. I’ll be talking more about this delicious soda alternative soon.

And of course, Raising Isabella is Cultures for Health affiliate, so if you want to get started making any of these drinks for yourself, maybe you’d like to order from them and come click through this sight to do so? Thanks!


This post was shared at Fight Back Friday

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