Chronic dehydration can cause a number of symptoms including allergies, asthma, colitis, constipation, arthritis, and chronic pain. Cellular dehydration is a major cause of disease. Hydration is an important part of maintaining a healthy body, because minerals in the water maintain the proper levels of electrolytes and hydrate your cells. Balancing fluids and electrolytes is necessary for the electrical charge and pH of the cells.
Some people may have on oversupply of electrolytes. They may have high blood pressure or edema and stress on the heart and kidneys, and they are most likely dehydrated. They should avoid tap water that is treated with fluoride and chlorine.
Other people may have an under supply of electrolytes. They may have low blood pressure and kidney problems. An electrolyte insufficiency could be due to a lack of certain mineral salts, so these people will not do well on reverse osmosis water or distilled water. They must hydrate with water and electrolytes.
There are a number of studies out now that support hydrating with gel water as the best way to hydrate at the cellular level, better than just drinking plain water. We can make our own gel water quite easily at home. Take 32 oz of a good quality water, squeeze in the juice of one lemon or lime, and add 2 tbsp of chia seeds. Let it sit for a few minutes, keep it stirred, and drink.
Another way to include gel water is to have a green smoothie every day. You can make a healthy green smoothie with water, leafy greens, frozen berries, banana, chia seeds, lemon, cucumber, and an apple or pear. Cucumbers, apples, and pears supply gel water and fiber to help you absorb the water.
This morning, when I finally woke up from my thirsty dream, I did make a large glass of gel water using water from the hot springs, juice of one lemon, and 2 Tbsp of chia seeds.
Everything it takes to make your own gel water. |
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Here is my dilemma. I have somewhat conflicting diet elements that I am drawn to. I like the raw living foods, of course, but I am intrigued with macrobiotics, lower sugar, higher fat, and higher fiber. When I try to go wholeheartedly in one direction, I soon feel unwell, and irresistibly drawn the other direction. Rather than continuing to try to be other than I am, why not pay attention to how I feel after eating such foods and make adjustments as I go.
This much I know, I feel really good with a high percentage of the raw living foods. The best way from me to achieve that is with my chia lemon water, lemon ginger blast green juice, veggie cocktails, apple juice, fat chunky smoothies, blended salads, and other salads. I am including fruits that are lower on the glycemic index, less tropical fruits, fewer nightshades, more fats, such as avocado, MCT oil, coconut, and flax seed oil.
Ready to make a lemon ginger blast juice. |
For the macrobiotic element I think some cooked leafy greens, hard and root vegetables, beans, sea vegetables, and fermented vegetables will do the trick. Here are the vegetables I can find here in my small town -
Leafy greens: bok choy, napa cabbage, collards, dandelions, kale, leeks, mustard greens, parsley, scallions, turnip greens.
Vegetables: winter squashes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, onion, red cabbage, rutabaga, turnip, carrots, parsnip, radish
Fermented vegetables: Bubbies pickles, Bubbies sauerkraut, kimchi
I can find the other things I need on Amazon: azuki beans, garbanzo beans, and lentils. Nori sheets, wakame and kombu.
Tonight I have a garbanzo stew and kale greens to accompany the raw foods. There are no grains, by choice, and nothing too mucus forming.
I don't think anyone has copyrighted the term macrawbiotics...I did a search...but that is what I am calling this diet. I only see one YouTuber who has used this term in his videos.
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I have signed up for a 7 week online class with Jeff Foster called Ending the Inner War. The first session was yesterday. This back and forth with the food is possibly part of this inner war. It doesn't necessarily need to be stopped in a violent way, but rather integrated and accepted. There is more than one way to stop a war, and everything doesn't have to be perfect in order to enjoy what is here now.
What is true meditation? Pure fascination with this moment, exactly as it is." - Jeff Foster
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My phone and the internet are both a blessing and a curse to me. More a blessing, than a curse, as the internet opened up the world to me by allowing me to ask the questions I did not have the courage to ask anyone face to face. But, on the curse side, I want to be able to hear for myself, from within myself. For that channel to be open, it must not be jam packed with other peoples ideas. First hand knowledge is better than passed on information. The life force comes directly from source, and that's what I want for myself. We know that an original is much preferred to even a good copy.
Today I have no appointments. Yay! I love it when that happens, so I can focus on my routines that mean so much to me.
To health and happiness. (Hydration is key to happy, healthy cells.)
Janis and Travis |