I always get excited when fall rolls around: the activities, the crisp air (a little less crisp down here on the coast), the Holidays, the magic, and of course, the food! With the change of season, comes local, seasonal foods and some indulgent foods too. Produce that I really enjoy during the fall / winter seasons are pomegranates, apples, pears, cranberries, carrots, squash, leeks, Brussels, potatoes, and beets. When the weather starts to get cooler, our bodies naturally want foods that ground us and are a bit heavier. On the other hand, there are the foods (and beverages) that should be consumed in moderation (which I sometimes over-indulge in): pies, cookies, baked goods, candy, chocolate, etc. I’m not going to harp on moderation and balance this go around, but I am going to give you one, single goal to focus on this fall / Holiday season.
o Your focus / goal: WATER! Drink a minimum of 64 oz. of water daily (pure, filtered water) for the next 10 weeks.
If there is one small step you can take, it is focusing on hydration. I give this goal for the Holiday season because it is 100% doable and one of the most important factors to life that many people overlook. The goal set above is the minimum an adult person should be drinking. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if I weigh 150 lbs., my goal is to drink about 75 oz of water in a day. This does not include water from food, caffeinated drinks, sodas, etc., this is purely water and herbal tea (teas that do not contain caffeine).
Adult bodies are made up of 60-70% water. Water serves numerous essential functions, such as:
A vital nutrient to the life of every cell, acts first as a building material
Regulates our internal body temperature by sweating and respiration
Transports and metabolizes carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as fuel
Assists in flushing waste mainly through urination
Acts as a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord, and fetus
Forms saliva
Lubricates joints
In addition to the functions above, water helps carry vitamins and minerals into our cells giving us more energy, balancing our hormones, reducing muscle fatigue, improving recovery and athletic performance, and flushing our bodies of toxins. To put into perspective how important water is for us, we can live without food for about 10-14 days, we can only live without water for about 3 days.
I’m guilty of not consistently drinking enough water so I set an alarm on my phone / watch every hour to buzz and remind me to drink. The app I use is My Water. Another trick that works for me is carrying a larger water bottle so I don’t have to fill it up as often. My day always gets sidetracked due to work, kids, life, etc. so having one less distraction (like filling up my water bottle) is super helpful to me!
Want more information? Or want to chat? Contact me!!
Maggie King MS, CNS, LN
RAW Functional Nutrition
(910) 541-3540