That is a question that I see or hear frequently. Are you staying hydrated? Without thinking about it, it's easy to just assume we're fine. We drink something all day long - coffee, pop/soda, gatorade, milk, water, etc, etc, etc. But is that actually enough and are your beverages actually hydrating you? Maybe, maybe not.
Hydration is something we are focusing on this week in my Awaken To Possibilities group on Facebook and we are currently doing a 7-day hydration challenge. I'd love for you to join us!
Your body is roughly 60 percent water––which is why it's so vital to your health and survival. Water, not soda or coffee. Water keeps your blood flowing, joints moving, and brain working. It also plays a big role in many things your body does, like carrying nutrients to cells, getting rid of waste, protecting your joints and organs, and maintaining your body temperature. I always know I need to up my water intake and maybe add some electrolytes when my joints start aching.
And that's not even the half of it!
🔸 Skin health: Staying hydrated can help you keep that youthful glow and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
🔸 Brain function and energy levels: Even mild dehydration—as little as 2 percent fluid loss—can affect your memory, mood, concentration, and reaction time.
🔸 Digestive health: Your body needs water to digest food properly and keep things moving. Without enough water, you may experience constipation, gas, bloating, heartburn, or other unpleasantness.
🔸 Weight management: Drinking water can help reduce snack cravings and feelings of hunger. It can also support your metabolism and help you lose weight.
🔸 Detoxification: Getting enough water helps flush toxins out of the body, which supports healthier-looking skin, among many other benefits.
🔸 Immune function: Staying well-hydrated helps your immune system in many ways. For starters, proper hydration is needed for your immune cells to travel to where they’re needed.
Did you know:
- Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
- Your body loses as much water when you are asleep as when you are awake.
- Your body needs as much water in cold weather as it does in warm weather.
- A mere 2 percent drop in body water can trigger brain fog and short- term memory impedance
Do you struggle with drinking water?
Does water bore you?
It doesn't have to taste boring!
If you’re like me, you like flavor. That's why I love finding and sharing ways to make water more enticing! Here are a few:🌺
🫧 Carbonate: Liven up your hydration routine with sparkling mineral water. Even better—add a squeeze of juice from a favorite fruit or Vitality™ essential oil.
🍊 Infuse with fruit: Pop some fresh fruit into a cool glass of water. Berries and sliced citrus pair perfectly with H20.
❄️ Freeze: Freeze berries with water in an ice cube tray. These flavorful cubes brighten up plain water.
🌱 Spice it up with herbs: Level up the flavor by adding fresh herbs to your water. Mint leaves, ginger, lavender, and lemongrass are all excellent choices. I love using Vitality™ oils like Lemon and Peppermint because they last so long and provide great flavor!
☕️ Make tea: Transform your water with herbal tea. From hibiscus to mint, herbs can enhance taste while adding more health benefits. I love Vitality™ teas.
Tips: Add a pinch of unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt for electrolytes to improve hydration. It also helps to keep water with you! I love a fun water bottle I can carry easily. Any time I'm going somewhere, I always have a water bottle along, and I've taught my kids to do the same (so I recommend finding strong stainless-steel bottles that are easy to clean and wash frequently). Keep water handy always!
So how about you? What is your favorite healthy way to liven up water and stay hydrated? I'd love to hear from you!
It's everywhere! I see people sharing on social media that they caught a "bug" and they just don't feel good. If this is you, I pray you feel better soon! If you are feeling under the weather, here are some steps you can take to ease the discomfort.
1. Take a bath. Add a cup of epsom salts or dead sea salts (or both, that's what we do) and soak for at least 20-30 minutes. This can help pull out the toxins and ease some aches. You can also add some essential oils to your bath such as the Young Living blend, Pan Away, but also peppermint, lavender, Stress Away, Peace & Calming, Copaiba, and Eucalyptus Radiata. How much depends on you and what you're used to. Start low and go slow if you haven't used them before.
2. Stay hydrated. Drink at least half of your weight in ounces of water. I like to add electrolytes on occasion to help keep my body balanced. The YL Vitality Drops taste so good! It makes drinking plenty of water so easy.
3. Get plenty of rest! It's a must to help your body recover.
4. Stay away from sugary foods and drinks. Viruses love a good sugar party.
Scratchy throats seem to go along with what is going around.
I love this throat spray:
In a 1 oz bottle I mix 1/2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz distilled water, and the following Young Living oils:10 drops Thieves essential oil blend, 5 drops Lemon, 3 drops Peppermint. Once mixed, shake it up and spray in your mouth, aiming at the back of your throat. I kid you not, it works! I've also used it before dental visits to ease my mouth before they go poking around. I keep this spray in our fridge and it's lasted us over year. Just a squirt or 2 does wonders! Gargling the Young Living Thieves mouth wash can also help.
I have one more recipe to share with you. To help keep us above the wellness line, we use a roller blend that is easy to mix up at home. It's called a wellness bomb! In a 10 ml roller bottle add the following oils:
- 8 drops Thieves essential oil
- 8 drops Lemon essential oil
- 6 drops Oregano essential oil
- 4 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 4 drops Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil
- Top it off with Young Living's V-6 oil and place the roller on the bottle.
We apply this roller blend to our feet. We have nerve endings in our feet (vitaflex points) that lead to the rest of our body, plus the skin on our feet is tougher and a great place to apply oils. For littles, if they aren't used to oils, you can apply more V-6 to the application site to slow absorption. Apply as needed.
Do you need to order some product? Here is my link: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/1350763 I am here and ready to help you on your wellness journey. I share Young Living because I trust this company. They are the only essential oil company with the Seed to Seal promise. I love the heart of this company and what they stand for.
Their purpose is:
A healthy home for each of us, a healthy world for all of us.
I love that!
With love,
Traci
Are you in the “prevent getting it” mindset? It might be time to think “What will I do WHEN I get it?” Even better, “How can I support my body now, before I get it?”
- Are you getting adequate sunshine and fresh air?
- Do you drink plenty of clean, filtered and fluoride-free water?
- How do you take care of your mental health?
- Are you staying active?
- Do you take care of your gut health? Your immune system depends on it!
- Do you eat whole foods? (think LOTS of fruits, veggies, green juices, bone broth and nutrient dense foods) Our Functional Medical Doctor recommends a Paleo type of diet.
- Have you reduced the toxins in your home? Artificial fragrance is in everything and is the absolute worst. GET.IT.OUT.OF.YOUR.HOME! Replace your scented candles, wax warmers, air fresheners, dryer sheets, scented fabric softeners, detergents and scented cleaning products. I have replaced all of the above with pure essential oils, plant-based cleaning products and clean, pure, safe self-care products.
- What supplements do you take?
- We all have to start somewhere, and baby steps add up to big changes.
Here’s a short list of some options!
- Vitamin D (Super D)
- Vitamin C (Super C Chewable or Super C)
- Melatonin (Immupro)
- NingXia Red (whole food antioxidant liquid supplement)
- Multivitamins (MightyVites for the boys)
- Mineral Essence (Combines the benefits of minerals with premium essential oils)
- Longevity essential oil
- Probiotics (Life 9 and MightyPro)
- Inner Defense (reinforces systemic defenses & promotes healthy respiratory function plus offers immune support)
- Thieves essential oil blend: diffused 24/7 in a diffuser and in a roller bottle; applied to our spines and feet every day and more often if we’re feeling off.
- Thieves Chest Rub
- Breathe Again applied to our chest area, RC and/or Raven in the diffuser.
- Do you take Epsom Salt baths? These can help pull out the toxins and ease the aches and pains. Aim for at least 30 minutes of soaking. Some lavender, peppermint and PanAway can be added to the bath for more support.
- Prayer & meditation to help manage stress.
- Do you get plenty of rest? Every body is different, but on average, 8 hours of sleep certainly helps you stay above the wellness line! A cool dark room, no electronics for an hour before bed and a quiet, calm environment to set the stage before sleep is also helpful.
There are plenty of ways you can support your health and adjust these suggestions for your own comfort. If you are curious about any of the products mentioned they can be found here or click on the "Place An Order" button up in the right-hand corner!
Just know, you are the only one in charge of your health and NO One cares more about your health than you. Empower yourself and make self-care a priority. You can do it! I believe in you.
Sending love,
Traci
