Although drinking the “healthy” recommended 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated sounds like a great idea, this may cause problems for your health. Water may not be as hydrating as you think. If you consider that when you drink a lot of water, you are in the restroom a lot–maybe this means that all that water isn’t really doing the job you want it to do. Maybe your body tries to rid itself of this excess and the kidneys are working overtime! Drinking too much water often pulls minerals from the body and can create electrolyte imbalances.
Before refrigeration, people drank beverages that were much more hydrating, nutritious and helpful to digestion. Fermented drinks like kombucha, beet kvass, and countless other lacto-fermented drinks were consumed that were high in nutrients, enzymes and probiotics. Cultured dairy like yogurt and kefir were a mainstay of the diet as were bone broth and bone broth soups–all of which are loaded with health benefits.
You may also be surprised to learn that low-fat diets tend to make people thirsty. Water is a byproduct of fat digestion–so being thirsty all the time may indicate that your body needs more traditional fats. Traditional fats are critical to nutrient absorption and they offer you a natural source of hydration at a much deeper cellular level.
As a guideline, daily total liquid consumption–including foods and beverages–should equal about 8 cups. By adding more fermented and cultured beverages, bone broth and traditional fats to your daily diet, you will stay naturally hydrated and be improving your health with nutrient-density.
Our book, Performance without Pain, has a wealth of recipes for broths, fermented and cultured beverages. For more information on a healing diet and nutrient-dense foods see www.performancewithoutpain.com or our new ebook on acid reflux diet.
Best in health,
Kathryne Pirtle