Hydration as your health routine

Interested in good skin, clean digestion, and radiant health that will keep going without you having to kick-start it all the time? 

Then you must begin to create solid, repeatable routines that are organized as if they are an interesting science project. 

And, If you think about it, your body and the health of it, is a science project.  

There are many ways to bring routine into your life. This post explains why the transition from Winter to Spring is hard and how adding one routine into your life now ~ which is adding more hydration to your diet ~ will assist you in boosting your immune system and make this seasonal transition a breeze. 

Surprisingly, the seasonal change from Winter to Spring is considered to be the most difficult seasonal shift of the year. It is partially because the emotional and physical effects of winter linger into the warmer months, and often we find ourselves stuck feeling sluggish, attached to long-term ideals, and even depressed. 

There is also a food component that adds to the difficulty, as winter doesn’t make healthy eating easy. Winter inspires hibernation, comfort foods, and conserving energy. Heavier carbs, hearty stews and soups, thick bread with butter and sweets are great when you’re trying to keep your body warm and awake during the waning light, but they are not the right foods for Spring. They are too heavy, too warming and can cause our body to become out of balance. We can easily develop allergies, weight gain, pain during menses, backache, swollen joints, fatigue and more.  

To help you begin to change your winter eating habits into what is good for Spring (and summer), are some easy, drinkable choices to help your body out.

Warm water with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning became popular when talented people such as  Beyonce started talking about the benefits. This drink stimulates your liver’s ability to activate bile flow which flushes out fat soluble toxins. It can help you lose weight. It also keeps your body hydrated and aids digestion, giving you a better ability to absorb nutrients. 

I love warm lemon water, but for a little  more potency while also being  a great tasting drink, I make my own DIY Electrolytes. There is  an easy do-it-yourself version that is so much cheaper than store bought and I have made a video for you here. This one is  delicious either cold or warm and has only four ingredients: lemon, salt, sugar (maple or honey) and water. 

For this Spring, I have 3 new recipes below and they are for shots, which are like Warm Lemon Water & Homemade Electrolyte drink on steroids. 

They take a little bit more organizing to make. But worth the effort as they care for your Liver and keep your immune system in top shape.

Good for your whole family too. 

Or offer one to your new love interest as a different kind of shot.

Ginger Shot

2 oz of squeezed ginger juice (**see how to make ginger juice below)

1 oz of lemon juice

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt 

If you have a cold or feel that one is beginning, drink 2-3 x per day. 

**How to make Ginger Juice at home

1. Peel ginger with a knife or spoon.
2. Grate peeled ginger with a ginger grinder.
3. Transfer grated ginger to a small strainer. To extract the ginger juice, press with a spoon. Or transfer into a ginger press if you have one. Or simply squeeze the grated ginger with your clean bare hand.

Wellness Shot

Combine all of the ingredients into a pitcher or measure cup and whisk. Drink ¼ to ½ a cup per day. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. This makes 1.5 -2 cups and takes about 10 minutes to make.

4 lemons, juiced

3 naval oranges, juiced

2 grapefruits, juiced (I like ruby red grapefruit when I can find it)

A 3 inch piece of ginger peeled and finely grated

1 Tablespoon turmeric powder (or grate your own from fresh turmeric)

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (its okay 

Good Shape Shot

This one is great for after yoga. It hydrates and replenishes the body after sweating and enhances muscle recovery. It also reduces stress and helps to  burn belly fat. 

A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ cup lemon juice

Pinch each of sea salt & black pepper

Combine all ingredients and blend on high until ginger is completely broken down. It’s okay to strain if desired.

The transition from winter to spring is a fantastic opportunity to adopt new eating routines and habits for a more energized, healthy life. As with a yoga practice or any good  habit, start small. Identify one of the drinks I have written about and begin.

Interested in other routines from an Ayurvedic perspective, that will help you create your own healthy and radiant life? Check out 3 practices I wrote about in my blog: Ayurvedic Lifestyle Practices here.

Love the info and these recipes? Get access to my weekly drop here and get your own copy of my Yoga Journal too. The Journal is designed to help you keep track of your healthy lifestyle practices. 

Resources:

From the book: Healthy Living Made Easy, Thrive Market, 2023

Sahara Rose Ketabi, Eat, Feel Fresh, A contemporary plant-based Ayurvedic Cookbook, 2018