Tag Archives: hydration

Another Hydration Tip

Food Ideas, Last of the Weight Loss Journey July 19, 2013 Comments: 2

How are you doing with drinking that water? Even after all these months I find it difficult to keep up my water intake.

Just a minute.

(“Much better,” she says, sipping the cool, clear, slightly flavored water she’s about to discuss.)

Today’s tip comes from my friend Monique. She snipped a few stems of lemon balm from her backyard, lemon grass waterwhich is one of my very favorites. Though not especially large, it boasts little paths through trees, flowers, herbs, and veggies, somehow looking beautiful and organic, cared about and free, all at the same time.

Monique suggested I put the lemon balm in a pitcher of water and enjoy.

I discovered two things about this treat.

1) It needs to sit longer than lavender or mint to infuse the water with its properties. I recommend overnight.

2) It doesn’t last as long as lavender or mint and fresh stems/leaves need to be added more often to enjoy optimal flavor.

My next goal is to get a cutting from my friend and grow my own lemon balm plant to harvest.

Another idea for gently flavored water comes from my friend Kristin, who slices a few strawberries into a pitcher and leaves it overnight. And I added cucumber slices to my water glass at dinner recently.

Do you have a hydration tip to share?

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Gently flavored water makes hydration more fun

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Sage Advice

Food Ideas, Last of the Weight Loss Journey June 19, 2013 Comments: 8

sage - CopyStill looking for a way to hydrate without being bored? When I posted my Lavender and Mint blog about a lovely, no calorie simple pleasure, my friend Monique mentioned she flavors her water with sage.

When I was grumpy on Monday morning, even after my walk, I fought back by getting my hands in the dirt, replanting my sage bush from the old garden area to a new home. (Okay, it was actually my burly son Stephen who got the shovel and dug it out, long, strong roots and all. This is probably why a few minutes working in the backyard helped my mood; he did the heavy lifting. That sage is hearty stuff. My husband had mowed down the old garden, sage and all, and it came right back!)

After the transplant,  I picked a few springs of sage, washed them, and plopped them into a pitcher of water. The jury is still out about whether or not this new water flavor will become a staple in our home. I loved the mint and lavender water from day one. The fragrance alone made me happy. But I’m still trying to decide whether sage belongs in water or should stay relegated to homemade chicken soup and beef breakfast sausage.

It could be I’m prejudiced against sage from my childhood. My grandmother was convinced it cured the common cold. Sweet little thing she was she rarely asked me to do anything unpleasant, but oh how she cajoled me to get a cup of hot sage tea down when I was sick!

It was very strong.

And gross.

I’ve chosen not to foist sage tea on my children, but am not above making them chicken soup hiding an extra portion of sage when they don’t feel well.

But back to the point. How do you get your water down? I also love lemon or lime squeezed into my water, as well as water flavored with cucumber slices or berries.water with sage

Remember, drinking two large glasses of water first thing in the morning helps you feel more full the rest of the day! Another fact: sometimes when we feel hungry, it’s actually our thirst censor going off! Next time you’re hungry and it’s not mealtime, consider drinking a big glass of water. Are you still feel hungry in five minutes?

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Sage advice for hydration

Are you truly hungry, or is it thirst?