I’m sure you’ve heard that you should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day or about 30 ml for every kg of your body weight. But we’re all different, and those guidelines might work for some but not for others. The best way to stay hydrated is to listen to your body.
Not everyone is used to drinking water—this is a fact. Some people try to drink less because they’re worried about swelling (even though swelling can actually be a reaction to dehydration—your body holds onto water to survive). Others think that juice, tea, or herbal infusions count as “water.” And some just don’t notice their body’s signals and don’t feel thirsty.
Suddenly starting to drink 1.5-2 liters of water a day isn’t recommended for these folks—it can overload the kidneys, which might struggle with filtering, leading to swelling.
There’s a great rule called the “test sip.” Always keep water on hand, and once an hour, take a sip to check in—do you feel like you want to drink a whole glass after that or not? If not, try the test sip again in an hour.
One of the simplest ways to make healthy, vitamin-infused water is to steep it with fruits, berries, veggies, and herbs.
How to Make It:
- Crush the herbs in a mortar or right in your water container.
- Squeeze citrus juice directly into the water, then toss in the leftover fruit pieces.
- Let it steep for no more than 1-2 hours.
- You can mix berries, fruits, and herbs together. Combinations like orange and rosemary, lemon and cucumber, raspberry and orange, or melon and parsley taste fantastic.
What to Add and Why:
• Lemon: Detoxifies, cleanses the blood, and acts as an antioxidant.
• Lime: High in vitamin C, boosts metabolism, and helps your body fight off viruses.
• Orange: Fights viral infections and is a good source of vitamin C.
• Mint: Has a cooling effect and antioxidant properties.
• Lavender: Provides relaxing and calming effects.
• Parsley: Aids weight loss, packed with vitamins A, B, C, and K, rich in antioxidants, and helps lower blood sugar.
• Dill: Lowers blood pressure, reduces intestinal peristalsis, and dilates blood vessels.
• Cucumber: Detoxifies and cleanses the body.
• Peach: Rich in vitamin C, folic acid, B vitamins, and flavonoids, which support cell regeneration and rejuvenation.
• Cranberry: Boosts the body’s resistance to viruses and bacteria.
• Strawberry + Cucumber: Help combat inflammatory processes and reduce skin breakouts.
• Raspberry: Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, iron, and fiber.
• Blueberry: Packed with antioxidants, vitamins C and K, and magnesium.
• Rosemary: Contains compounds that strengthen immunity, normalize blood pressure, and provide a toning effect.
• Watermelon: Contains vitamin B6, which helps the nervous system cope with stress and fatigue.
Tips:
• Keep a bottle of water handy at all times.
• Try to drink no more than 150 ml of water at a time.
• Start your morning with a glass of water, preferably with lemon.
• If you want to reduce swelling, drink warm, not cold, water.
• Avoid drinking calories and sugar—stay away from sodas and packaged juices.
