Water is the primary nutrient

We don't often think of water as a nutrient, but it is. Deficiencies in water lead to a wide range of problems, including lessened stress resilience.

Suboptimal hydration is very very common.

When you’re well hydrated, you think clearer and function better.

Listen to Sally's 15 minute LECTURE ON HYDRATION

What are you made of?

The inside your body is a liquid environment. All chemical processes occur in fluids (excluding the insides of enzymes and fat cells, but let’s not get too technical!).

You’re between 60-70% liquid (as opposed to gas or solid material)

Every day fluids flow in, through and out of you. We lose approximately 2-2.5 L or 69-85 floz each day, but more on that in Lecture 2.1. You may not adequately replace these, and thus develop some level of dehydration.

Consider hydration over a lifetime: compare and contrast a plump baby and a wrinkled elder.

You get the picture.

What to do now?

#detoxtaskmaster:

Start replenishing your fluid levels today, to create an inner environment that is well hydrated.

Simply drink fresh water every day, to replace the daily losses, and to rebuild optimal hydration levels.

Some easy steps to enhance your flow this week

Drink water when you wake up

Refresh yourself with hydrating fluids when you wake up each morning. This is such a nourishing practice. Slowly increase the amount your drink, until you are drinking between 500-800 mls before breakfast. Whatever is comfortable. Try freshly pour each glass of water you drink. Energise it with the pouring movement. Why don’t you try lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in your morning glass? (Here's a blog on WHY you would). Or drink some warm water? Or a herbal tea?

Pour your water freshly each time, to energise it in your glass.

Rejuvenate with a cool shower

At the end of your shower, when your body is warm, turn the taps towards cool. Begin with not-so warm water then move to tepid water. If you're feeling particularly strong and resilient, move to cool water for 20 seconds. This is a great opportunity to express yourself vocally. This practice of cold water on the skin stimulates your blood flow. It will revitalise you and enhance internal cleansing. It’s a version of a health practice called Hydrotherapy

Adjust how you consume caffeine and alcohol

When you have an alcoholic drink, coffee or tea (with milk) this week, drink a small glass of water before it, and then again after it. These drinks act as a diuretic, which means they remove fluid from the body through increasing urination. By having a small glass of water either side, you’ll replenish your losses. No need to stop caffeine or alcohol right away, but perhaps you want to reduce your amount if you’re really hammering them. Aim for 1 per day, 2 as a maximum (please reduce your intake gradually. More on that to come in later lessons).

Water is a remarkable substance which supports your vitality enormously.

It can provide therapeutic benefits when:

1. you drink enough of it
2. you apply it to your skin
3. you experience a natural body of water, like a river or ocean

When we clean a car or wash our clothes, we use water. That’s because water cleanses things. This capacity for cleansing is why it’s called the 'universal solvent'.

Bottom line: We need clean water to cleanse.

#AddYourPiece:

How are you interacting with water? Did you hydrate in a different way? Did you try the cool water spurt? Did you experience a body of water? Share what you enjoyed about water since bringing your attention to water.