Hot Water Rescue

3.29

I posted last week about questioning everything. That's a good way to stay mentally fresh and growing through life. And part of the journey of questioning everything is keeping an open mind to what we observe and experience along the way.

Some time ago I was at dinner with a few business friends and one specifically got a mug of hot water with our dinner (while the rest of us were having seltzers and sodas and adult beverages.) One of the guys questioned him on his dinner beverage, and he simply said that it's a lot healthier for your than cold water, and certainly better than sodas and beer. I think that was the first time I was aware of someone specifically drinking hot water with a meal, or anytime, because of the health benefits.

Fast forward to a current coworker, who with lunch everyday has hot water (with a squeeze of lemon). Hmmm... this piqued my interest enough to merit some further study. After reading a half a dozen or so articles and posts on the benefits of drinking hot water over cold, I too am set on the benefits of a few glasses of what I'll call, 'unflavored tea.'

I acknowledge how refreshing a glass of fresh cold water is on a hot day. I especially like cold water, but not iced water (something close to 50 degrees, which is about the temperature of fresh natural spring water.) But the muscle tension, constricted blood vessels and hindered digestion which result are all good reasons to steer clear of cold water as a beverage of choice.

Hot water to the rescue. The numerous benefits of drinking hot water over cold are varied and proven. From better digestion to healthier skin to improved blood circulation, reduced nasal congestion, general body detox and relief of cramps, hot water is the winner, hands down.

How much water should we consume in a day? Research and doctors suggest between a half an ounce and one ounce per pound of body weight. That's several quarts of water a day... and that's over and above coffee and other drinks. We all better get drinking if we want to keep up with that pace.

Give it a try. Maybe it sounds a bit flaky, but do a two week test of drinking hot water as your beverage of choice and see if you don't detox and feel better.

By the Way

Check out this post from LifeHack.org for 12 Unexpected Benefits of Drinking Hot Water. Then sit down with a big mug of unflavored tea, relax, and enjoy!

It's Your Turn

2.33
I like Tony Horton, creator of P90X and P90 workouts, and host of a really cool YouTube Channel. See my previous post on Tony here - I appreciate what he does because it is simple, reproducible and stands as a lifestyle wellness resource.

Not only does Tony offer valuable workout guidance to bring health and longevity to our daily routine, he's a kindred spirit when it comes to healthy eating. Below are a couple videos from the Tony Horton YouTube Channel. The first one is about eating more and losing weight. You may say, is that possible? The answer is a resounding yes (in my own experience, I eat a lot of great food and snacks, every day, and maintain at my target weight just under 160 pounds, and I'm 6'+ tall...):

The second video gives six fundamentals for healthy eating. Again, these are spot-on, focused on eating real, nutrient dense, fiber-rich foods, and staying hydrated:

And a great encouragement is at the end of the second video, to pass on the content. Tony likes to say, "it's your turn," meaning he wants us to engage... take a next step in our own journey, and then pay it forward by passing along wellness guidance we are living out.

Maybe there are a few simple wellness things you've made a part of life, like adding ancient grains or reducing or eliminating gluten and dairy. Maybe you're walking regularly or bought an activity tracker to keep an eye on your daily and weekly activity. If you've done these kinds of things and benefited from it, then it's your turn... time to hand good guidance off to someone important to you and encourage them in their journey. A neighbor, co-worker, relative... shoot them this blog post or send them to a YouTube channel like Tony's. You'll feel good about being a resource, and it just may change someone's health and life.

By the Way

I like that Tony is a 90/10 or 80/20 eater (click here for a previous post on this idea). What I mean by that is he gets a strong majority of calories from healthy, nutrient-dense foods (the 80%-90%) and limits unhealthy and 'comfort' foods (keeping these at 10% - 20%). This allows an occasional treat, and the empty calories and fleeting 'pleasure' that goes with it, but reaffirms the guiding commitment to healthful choices.

Water, Water, Everywhere

1.30
I have always enjoyed a nice hot beverage in a big mug. In the 1990's I was a coff-aholic (I drank way too much coffee). Some days I would top 2 quarts a day, and being in my 20's, that seemed like no big deal. Since then I've gone caffeine-free for months and years at a time, and settled into being pretty much of a tea snob. I'll indulge in a great cup of coffee a couple of times a year. Beyond that, I enjoy a good cup of green tea, herbal mint or chamomile, and sometimes a black tea or blend. I can get plenty of caffeine, if that's what I think I want, and I keep my hot-drink habit.


Much of our wellness is based on throughput - taking nutrients in and getting rid of whatever is left over that our bodies don't need, or are of marginal value. The key to that throughput is water. Call it hydration or detoxification, water is a key to physical health and wellness. Believe me, 20 years ago, I didn't have a 'water habit', but I do now. I realized, in the midst of my hot-drink habit, I need to also keep up with that necessary hydrating throughput.

To define 'good' water, it would be filtered (tap) water. We use a Pur activated carbon filter at home. A reverse osmosis unit is great, but they are expensive and use a ton of process water for regular back washing and maintenance. Bottled water is marginal - the bottles are wasteful and numerous studies show that the plastics in the bottles can be bad for our health. So filtered tap water (the pitcher filters are great as well - you can keep them in the fridge for cold water anytime) is a great resource.



Another thought on daily beverages: I don't drink flavored sodas anymore. I can't remember the last time I had a Coke or Mountain Dew. What I've replaced those with is seltzer. That is now my drink of choice whenever I'm out for a business meal or dinner with our family. Many fast food soda dispensers now offer seltzer as one of the 'water' tabs next to the iced tea or Sprite. Put in a slice of lemon or lime, and it is refreshing and not at all bad for you. We keep 2 liter bottles on hand around the house and our kids love to experiment with fruit juice additions - cranberry, orange, grape, etc. We keep 100% fruit juices on hand, and while those aren't the most nutritious choice (you still get a huge glucose spike from fruit juices) it's much better than any soda or processed juice options.

Suggested things to stay away from in drinks: sugars of any kind (high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, etc.) artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sorbitol, sucralose, etc - these are detrimental to our health) artificial colors and flavors. If we stick with natural juices (grape, cranberry, apple, orange) those are a good treat. "Vitamin" waters are okay as well; these are often fortified with natural nutrients and vitamins and natural sweeteners like xylitol and stevia.

With summer here and all the chances for sweating at the amusement park and the beach, or if you're just around the office or traveling, think about working on your water habit. Staying hydrated is a fundamental key to wellness, and goes great in with your power pantry.

By the Way

I've learned that there are some simple parameters to staying hydrated. A key rule of thumb is to drink half your weight in ounces of water, every day. For example, my weight is in the 150's, so I should be drinking 75 ounces of water every day. That would be at least 10 - 8 ounce glasses of water. I usually drink from a large glass or water bottle (closer to 16 ounces) so that would be about 5 of those a day. One in the morning, one at lunch and one in the evening, and a couple thrown in during the day and I'm well on my way to that goal.

If you work out, run or do a lot of physical activity (yard work, etc.) then you should add to that base line, like an extra quart or more per day. And caffeinated drinks and alcohol don't count toward your water habit... sorry...