Recipes for Optimal Hydration
If you read the other articles in my hydration section, you understand by now that hydration takes conscious efforts. Optimal hydration is achieved by consuming full spectrum living water, following up with hydrating foods that assist with absorption, and performing movement exercises that assist with flow and absorption.
Here are my favorite recipes for optimal hydration:
Water Concoction
For over a decade, I have been starting every day with what I call a water concoction. An old school recipe with my take on it. I shared this recipe with dozens of people, and I’ve witnessed how it makes a big difference in people’s hydration throughout the day across the board – males and females with various health conditions. When people drink this first thing in the morning, slowly, on an empty stomach, they report they don’t need to drink as much water throughout the day to stay hydrated, and they generally feel better and are more energized.
Water Concoction Recipe:12 oz Full Spectrum Living Water/Structured Water/Spring Water (room temperature or slightly warm)
½ lemon/lime juice
1-3 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (start with ½-1 tsp and increase over time if desired)
Pinch of Real Salt/Celtic Salt
Green Juice
Quick, simple, and effective recipe. This is the lowest hanging fruit, quite literally 😉 All you need to do is add water to a powdered green vegetable and fruit blend. I personally like Organifi Green Juice the most, it’s super tasty and robust in ingredients. It is packed with superfoods, antioxidants, and adaptogens, and is geared towards balancing hormones, specifically cortisol. Other green juice powdered blends, such as Athletic Greens and Supergreen Tonik, also provide similar effects. Find one that tastes and feels good to you.
Green Juice Recipe:- Add 1 serving/scoop of the mixture into a glass, mason jar or shaker bottle.
- Add 8-12 oz of full spectrum living water/spring water/reverse osmosis water (the water options are ordered in priority).
Flavored Chia Water
Another super simple and effective recipe. This one is a super hydrator, and will also keep your belly full. My advice is to drink it VERY slowly, I drink one of these over a few hours, one sip at a time. Hydrated chia seeds expand in the stomach, and can cause bloating and stomach aches if consumed too quickly or with too much food.
Pro tip: Take small sips and CHEW the chia seeds well before gulping them down, it will aid with digestion and absorption.
Flavored Chia Water Recipe:
- Add 1 tbsp of (black or white) chia seeds into a glass, mason jar or shaker bottle.
- Add 8-12 oz of full spectrum living water/spring water/reverse osmosis water (the water options are ordered in priority).
- Add 1 tsp of organic fruit extract, i.e. blueberry, cranberry, pineapple, etc.
Smoothies
I love smoothies because they’re delicious, nutritious, filling, and hydrating. They’re also great for taking supplements, especially the ones that have funky flavors, like medicinal mushrooms. Smoothies are controversial for me because on one hand they have all the benefits I described above, and on another hand, they are infamous for throwing nutrients off balance.
I don’t drink smoothies often
I mostly drink more smoothies when it’s hot outside, when I’m tight on time, and when I’m traveling. I don’t drink smoothies often because even though I drink slowly and swish every sip in my mouth for at least 30 seconds, I still end up consuming a good amount of fruit (and naturally occurring sugar), way faster than I would be eating whole fruit. I also drink smoothies occasionally because high speed blending seems to break down food in an unnatural way, which could be messing up nutrients balance.When I drink smoothies, I go all out
Even though I have mixed feelings about the integrity of smoothies, I love the hydration and energy they provide me, and some even serve as full meals. When I make a smoothie or buy one, I put a lot of intention into it by combining complementing foods, adding superfoods, and using the best ingredients. If you’re looking for smoothie recipe inspiration, check out the recipes offered by Sunlife Organics. Here are a couple of my favorites from their menu:
Mystic Recipe
Banana, Medjool dates, cinnamon, spirulina, maca, raw cacao nibs, chia seeds, raw plant protein, raw cashew butter, Young Thai
Coconut water
Blue Majik Recipe
Young Thai coconut meat, Medjool date, Himalayan sea salt, Blue Majik (e3 Live), lotus pollen, grass-fed whey protein isolate, collagen, hemp milk, pineapple juice
Açai Bowls
I love acaí, it’s a fantastic superfood that is delicious, hydrating, and a great base for fruit bowls. The way I explained acaí bowls to my daughter when she was three years young, is that they’re like smoothies, but in a bowl, and with fruit on top rather than mixed in. I consume acaí bowls more often than smoothies because they contain whole fruit, which means more nutrients are retained, and I get to enjoy the cooling, fruity, hydrating experience.
If you’re looking for inspiration on acaí bowls, I recommend the recipes from Sunlife Organics. Here are a couple of my favorites from their menu:
Brazilian Bowl Recipe
Blended açai, banana, strawberry, blueberry, apple juice and almond milk topped with granola, banana, strawberry and coconut shreds
Dragon Bowl Recipe
Blended dragon fruit, raspberry, mango and hemp milk topped with granola, strawberry, blueberry and coconut shreds
