“I don’t know what to drink”.
That statement is being heard more and more these days. It is even more astonishing when those same people tell us, “I just don’t like water … there’s no taste to it. ”
Sadly enough, in the Western world, despite accessible water supplies, the amount of it that actually gets in our bodies has become an important issue. Drinking water has become something trivial to us.
How did we get to the point where people don’t like water anymore? More and more families are putting pop or juice on the table (sometimes even in the baby’s bottle!) instead of plain water. We don’t appreciate water anymore, and have become blind to the limitless amount of benefits it has to our planet and to our bodies.
Two of the most important functions of water are to transport nutrients to tissues and take toxins from the tissues to the outside. Without it, we would be unable to expel enough of our body’s waste material to maintain a healthy state. One of the main triggers of various diseases such as asthma, allergies, arthritis or chronic infections is the accumulation of toxins in the liver and in the adipose and connective tissues.
The molecule of H2O is the miracle that made life possible. Water comprises three-quarters of the earth and 70% of our bodies. It is essential for proper functioning. Humans can live for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. No life is possible without water.
WHICH WATER SHOULD I CHOOSE?
1. Spring water
We live in a part of the world where (drinking) water has been abundant (but even that is changing). We are surrounded by different types of reasonable, quality tap and bottled water. We can easily forget about another source – spring water.
A couple of years ago, a friend of ours showed us where to find the nearest spring water. The spring is regularly examined, and the results are displayed on an information board nearby. We have never looked back, and ever since, we try to drink as much spring water as possible.
We strongly advocate spring water because it’s the ideal liquid for human consumption; it flows naturally from the ground; and it is water in its most natural and pure state. Depending on the type of rock through which it flows and the time spent in the basement, it has a specific chemical composition (minerals and trace elements) that makes it unique.
One of our first rewilding drum clients signed up for a month of coaching, and one of the first thing we did was surprise her with a bottle of fresh spring water in front of her house. After the coaching period, that same client gave us a very beautiful glass bottle for our spring water as a way of saying thank you for the coaching (and the water).
2. Water-containing foods
Along with spring water, there is another significant source of water for staying hydrated – water-containing foods like fruits and vegetables. This kind of water is more structured, and has a higher hydration-power. Moreover, its organic minerals are better assimilated than the inorganic minerals present in water.
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK?
We’ve listened to the mantra for years: Drink 1.5 L to 2 L of water per day.
But where did this conventional wisdom come from? One cannot imagine that people in past centuries were counting the amount of glasses of water they drank every day! And it still has not been proven that drinking more or less water benefits or harms our health.
Drinking enough water is important, but drinking too much water is harmful:
- Gastric juices necessary for digestion are diluted if you drink too much during the meal or digestion.
- The concentration of minerals in the blood is diluted, unbalancing the ratio of certain minerals like sodium and potassium.
Of course there are individual cases where increased water intake may be required such as pregnancy, lactation, sports exertion, etc.
Trust your instincts and your bodies and listen to their needs. Drink when you are thirsty. Hydrating should be something natural.
THE SPIRITUAL SIDE
Our weekly trip to the spring has definitely become something spiritual. It has a kind of a hunter-gatherer feeling – something our ancestors have been doing through the history of mankind.
Of course, we admit, sometimes it is a hassle to prepare the bottles; drive there (a 15-minute drive); and, depending on the weather and time of day, even queuing.
Sometimes laziness kicks in and we have to battle the seduction of just going to the supermarket like most of us do. But once you’re set in your ways, the spiritual benefits of going to collect your own water start to kick in. It brings you to a kind of Zen state of mind.
In summer, we often combine the visits to the spring with a MovNat workout, a jog, or just a relaxing walk in the nearby woods. In winter, we transport the water in a toboggan on the snow is the sumum of joy.
While waiting for our turn to get water, we start talking to other people waiting in line. They are from different walks of life, but all of them are, for one or another reason, attracted to that spring.
On our way home, we think of the people having to walk several hours every day in order to get the much needed minimum amount of water (if they are lucky at all). It’s a daily struggle for them. For us, going to that spring is inspiring.
So here is our advice: Find the location of your nearest spring and check out some quality H2O. Try to make it into a family ritual just to enjoy being outdoors together. The next time you’re collecting and honouring this fountain of life, don’t forget that:
- Water is not just water. It’s vital – a source of life.
- Many people on this planet have never tasted clean drinking water in their lives!
What is your experience with drinking water? Are you one of those who have a hard time drinking just water? Tell us!
Regards,
