How to Hydrate Well

I write a lot about digestion because good health requires that we not only consume the right things, but that we can digest those things we consume.

We can support good digestion by attending more to how and when we eat, and then to what we eat.

When digestion is off, not only do we produce less good quality tissue, but we also leave behind a toxic residue of that undigested food (ama) which feeds the bad bacteria and viruses as well as blocking the subtle channels of the body leading to pain and inflammation.

So every time we return to the healthier eating guidelines, we support our overall health big time. We all fall short sometimes, so we simply need to remember to come back.

This week I want to share some teachings on  hydration.

If you've ever drunk a glass of water and felt that it just sat in your belly, you'll be interested to hear that water is actually cold and heavy. To make water more digestible, Āyurveda teaches  to cook water first. Cooking water makes  it  lighter and easier to digest. 

To cook water you simply fill a pot and boil uncovered for 1 - 10 minutes. In this process, heat is added and gasses are removed, making it warmer and lighter. After boiling, cover the pot and let cool. Drink that water at whatever temperature you like.

I cook a big pot of water every morning because I enjoy drinking hot water. After boiling, I put my cooked water into a thermos  and I drink that throughout the day. If you like cool water, you can boil your pot the night before, cover and let sit overnight. One note: It's best not to reboil water as that makes the water more drying to your system. 

In terms of water quality, if you have access to spring water, that's ideal. Spring water is alive and full of minerals. If you don't have spring water, you can drink filtered water (here is a list of  water filters that have been tested to remove "forever chemicals" and other pollutants). After filtering water, you can remineralize it by adding these mineral drops to it.

If you regularly drink a lot of water, but also pee frequently, an effective practice for better water absorption is sipping throughout the day rather than chugging. Another way to support better water absorption is to add a few drops of lemon and a tiny pinch of pink salt. Those electrolytes help the body hold the water better. You can also increase good hydration by eating more  soups, stews, and stewed fruit.

In Āyurvedic nutrition, we understand that each of the 7 tissues of the body (dhatus) are nourished by the preceding tissue. Plasma nourishes red blood cells, nourishes, muscles, nourishes fat, nourishes bone, nourishes reproductive tissue, nourishes OJAS, our immunity and deep vital essence.

The first tissue nourished when we eat or drink is our plasma, called rasa. Rasa is a sanskrit word which means, taste or flavor. Nourishing rasa is especially important for women because the byproducts of rasa create the menstrual tissue and breast milk. Even if you're post menopause, or in a male body, building good quality rasa is foundational to nourishing all the other tissues in your body.

Most of us are dealing with both excess and depletion in our system. We have become a culture that is over nourished, and most disease processes are reflecting this. All the how and when to eat guidelines help with this excess.

At the same time, most of us also suffer from depletion from overwork and insufficient sleep and too much thinking. There's a lot to say about why this is, but I'll save that for another post. For today, I want to suggest we all add an herbal tea break to our day.

Adding a tea break is a doable and enjoyable way to both nourish yourself and combat depletion in as little as 10 minutes. We can build better tissue and relax by nourishng our rasa with a delightful herbal tea.

I'm a huge fan of the Organic India company who have been bringing high quality herbal teas (and supplements) to us for decades.They create herbal teas with the herb Tulsi as a base. 

Tulsi is a satvic adaptogen (a clarifying herb that helps us adapt to stress). There are many Tulsi blends including Tulsi ginger turmeric (warming and anti inflammatory); Tulsi Rose (slightly cooling, uplifting and nourishing for the heart and female reproductive organs) Tulsi Cinnamon Rose (more warming and heart nourishing) Tulsi Sleep Tea (with more adaptogens and some nervines to support winding down). ....and the list goes on. To enhance the medicinal effects you can double bag them and consume regularly.

You might have a favoriteherbal tea you enjoy like hot ginger root (warming and dilates all the subtle channels as well as digests toxicity) hot mint (more cooling and soothing) or something citrusy. Any tea you enjoy will do.

A nice tea time is in the afternoon sometime after lunch (2 - 4), when the body can use some grounding and hydration. Try one of the Tulsi teas above, or choose another herbal tea you love.

Curious what your favorite ways to hydrate are. What works for you? If you add a tea time this week, let me know how it works for you, and what's in your cup. Leave your comments below.

With love, in service,

Shannon