Water to Drink / Agua de Beber

I was born under the sign of Aquarius, the water bearer, in the middle of a storm of frozen water (snow). Perhaps it was coincidence, but since my appearance in this world, water has been a major protagonist in my life.

As a child, I wanted to jump in it, play in it, be in it as much as I could. I was a water baby. I learned to swim very young at four years old. I remember the sensation that I had found another world where I could float, dive, navigate freely. Like a fish. Swimming quickly turned into my favorite competitive sport, which is true even today. I feel as comfortable in the pool, the ocean, or a lake as I do on land.

For us humans, and all of life, the connection with water is vital. The planet is 70% water. Our body is 70% water. Water is the substance and matrix of life, mother and medium. Simply put, without water, there is no life. In virtually every culture, religion, or belief structure water is symbolic of life and vitality. From a river flowing effortlessly, transmitting a state of fluidity and calm, to the crashing waves of the powerful ocean.

I drink a lot of water. Try three liters per day at least. It’s the beverage I most consume (wine is second). I created the habit for health but when I really listen to my body, most of the time, it asks for water. I take a Klean Kanteen of 500 cc, made from stainless steel, to keep it fresh and on hand wherever I go. Generally speaking, in Chile, I have noticed that people here don’t drink a whole lot of water. When you arrive hot and thirsty to somebody’s house, they will often ask you if you want some juice, maybe even a coffee (really?!), and after that water. Even in restaurants here, it’s not like in North America that they automatically bring ice water to the table or fill your glasses as a given. Nope. You have to ask for it (and pay for it). If you want simple old tap water (which is fine to drink in Chile), that’s agua de la llave, and you may get an odd look from the waiter. Water here is like Coke. It’s a beverage, not a fundamental human necessity.

Since we are having a bit of an Indian summer as of late and all of you up north are happily heading towards the warmer months of the year, I thought I would share how you can easily and effortlessly incorporate more water into your daily routine. Remember, any habit takes 21 days of consistency to sink in. Your body will thank you in all respects–and let me tell you, your skin will look amazing!

How much??: Technically, it depends on your weight, activity level, and other drinks you consume that may dehydrate you (emmm, try caffeine or booze), but the daily baseline is ALWAYS 8 cups of 250cc, or two liters. One trick that has worked well for me is to drink 2 glasses immediately upon getting up in the morning. After, I drink water in intervals between meals (don’t drink a lot of water with meals since it can actually dilute your stomach acid and slow down the power of digestion, not the idea!). A stainless steel bottle is key. I prefer stainless still since plastic can have contaminants absorbed into the water, it tastes “plastic-y”, gets a funky smell quickly, and if you are consuming disposable bottles, just stop that right now please. Do you know how long they take to decompose in a landfill?
Remind Yourself: If it’s not a habit yet, turn on the alarm clock on your cell phone or computer to remind yourself to drink up. Even if it feels obsessive at the beginning, it takes 21 days for this new habit to form and stick. If you’ve never drunk this much water before, you have be committed to teaching yourself to do it. After, you won’t even think about it. I promise. Your body will feel “off” when you don’t get that baseline amount. Your body is SO SMART. It will tell you what it needs to a T–if you learn to listen to it accurately.
Substitutes: If you normally order a chemical cocktail at lunch like Diet Coke, try still or sparkling mineral water with a slice of lemon. Mint or lemon verbena also freshen up the taste and make it delicious. Go easy on the sparkling water though, treat it like a soda since excessive carbonation is not easy on your stomach. Honestly, you won’t miss the fake soda after you switch to water.
Filter it: Get yourself a Britta filter to drink clean, filtered water all the time. In Chile, while tap water is completely potable, it is on the hard side with flouride and a very mineral-y taste. The filter won’t only make it taste better–it filters out the excess minerals. Your kidneys will be very appreciative.
Exercise: That’s right, move your butt! Get off the couch or out of your office chair. Your body is naturally going to b-e-g for more H2O when you workout. Do not, and I repeat, do NOT drink any of those sports drink that genius marketers tout as the way to rehydrate. Want the truth? Read the ingredients. Probably the first ingredients are sugar or worse, high frutose corn syrup. They will dehydrate you more and metabolically cause a tizzy (and help to retain fat, not burn it). So drink up your agua. The best time to hydrate for sports or the gym is a couple hours BEFORE training so the water is fully absorbed in your system. If you chug a lot in the middle of spinning class, you may feel very full and get side cramps. I learned this trick with Bikram yoga: hydrate before the class and sip your water during. If you need something to set off dehydration the best product on the market (in the US) is Emergen-C Vitamin C and electrolyte packets. Empty one packet in 500 cc and you’re good to go (and no fake stuff!!!). They come in tasty flavors from Acai berry to Pink lemonade, raspberry, orange, etc.
Write it Down: Again, when you start to drink two liters of water per day, it doesn’t feel natural off the bat. I found using a journal to religiously record each and every glass was key in getting the baseline requirement of 8 glasses per day. Keep your journal with you at all times. Note the other drinks you have too. If you have a cup of coffee, add an additional glass of water. However, if you drink decaf green or herbal tea, that counts as water. Get it? And needless to say, if you are drinking alcohol, water is key in staying lucid. If you do over-indulge, to avoid having the hang over from hell the next day, drink at least one liter before bed time and add 2 ibuprofen to the equation (better yet, don’t get wasted!).