Have a less water retaining holiday!

Hello everyone! We are coming up on our first holiday of the summer here in the states. I want you all to feel healthy, vibrant and not retaining any water as you put on your new swimsuit.

Fluid retention is not fun, but it is offering you a sign that your body is in desperate need of water. If you experience puffiness of the hands, feet, ankles, tummy, face, neck and eyelids, you are actually dehydrated. Your cells are losing up to 28% of their water volume and are not able to perform their activities.  This leads to more water accumulating outside the cell than inside and causes that puffy feeling. Also, metabolic and harmful waste stays in the body because the kidneys are holding water, and the enzymes in the body are less able to detoxify and tell you are thirsty.

• An estimated 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated
• In 37 percent of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak, it is mistaken for hunger.
• Even mild dehydration slows down your metabolism by 3 percent.

Just visualize how dirty the retained water is to help inspire you to drink more water.  Ok, so let’s start drinking water and implement these other tips now before the weekend:

1. After a large glass of water when you awake, experiment starting your morning off with a slice of watermelon to help your body hydrate and cleanse.
2. Make Sun Tea with a ginger or dandelion tea. I love using extra tea bags to make the flavor stronger and richer.
3. Try juicing celery, cucumber, parsley, and apple to clear out any congestion. If you use a blender, add in more water to make it thinner and make extra because the fiber will hold the nutrients for a longer time period.
4. Include foods in your diet which have a diuretic effect including artichokes, fresh dandelion greens, watercress, papaya, pineapple and dill.
5. Try a Fennel, Cucumber & Dill salad: Check out this recipe
6. Try hot spicy foods, they can be good for some people’s lymphatic system – chilli, tumeric, curries, garlic and ginger.
7. Drink room temperature water with a lemon, slice of cucumber, or mint through out the day and monitor during meal times. Gradually increase your ounces each day and work up to between 64 oz and half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces. Example: 180 lbs=90 oz of water

These tips will support your kidneys and prevent kidney stones. Observe your urine output and notice if you feel your body releasing more volume, you may notice more energy, and less pains and aches. Also, you may experience more bathroom frequency, however as the inside of your cells become more hydrated and the excess releases, it will calm down.

Drink up,

Heather Fleming, C.C.N

P.S. The last Jump Start until fall begins June 6th. I will be adding in a surprise daily focus to help you practice becoming more curious and in tune with your body. Join the Jump Start here!