September 24, 2018
Hydrate and Beat bloat with these all natural water infusions
Have you ever got out of bed feeling much heavier than you did when you got in? Ah-ha! A case of the “bloats”. Water retention! We all carry water around in our bodies and while that’s perfectly normal, too much water retention can cause body bloat and weight gain. Sometimes when people are on diuretics they can lose up to 5 lbs of water weight in just 2 days. Diuretics are harsh and should only be taken under medical supervision. You can however take natural diruetics that will gently get fluids out of your system without affecting the electrolyte balance.
Here are some water recipes created just for you that will do the trick nicely and help you beat the “bloat”. As with all diuretics natural or not, you will be peeing a lot to get the water out of your body, so plan accordingly. You may not want to drink these waters on long distance road trip etc. You will need to be near a rest room when drinking these waters.
Cran Water: One ounce cranberry juice ( the 100% kind that you get in health food stores) mixed with 7 ounces of filtered water. Very effective and will help clean the kidneys and keep urinary tract infection at bay. Drink this 4 to 6 times/ day to get rid of water retention and then 2/ day for maintenance.
Fennel Water: Soak 1 tbsp. of fennel seeds in 1 gallon water. This mildly sweet tasting water will also act as a mild diuretic and help flush water from your system. This is also good for digestion and people with GERD.
Cumin Water: Boil 1 tbsp cumin seeds in 1 gallon water until water turns a golden yellow. This water can be drunk warm or cool and is also an ancient remedy in many cultures to cure digestive problems including diarrhea & constipation.
Barley Water: Barley is a natural diuretic and barley water has been an ancient remedy for treating stomach disorders and fluid retention. Barley tea is sold in Asian markets & this is an easy way to make barley water. Just soak 4 tea bags in 1 quart of water overnight and drink in the morning. Keep refilling up to 24 hrs. You can also soak barley in water and boil it till the water starts to boil and drink that water cool or warm.
Parsley Water: just soak a few sprigs of clean fresh parsley in a water jug and let it soak overnight. This fresh tasting water is also a natural breath freshener & detoxifies the body. Added bonus it gives you vitamins and antioxidants. You can refill the pitcher up to 48 hrs provided you refrigerate the pitcher.
Cucumber Water: A few slices of cucumber with the skin will give you a spa like vitamin water which will nicely get rid of water retention while giving you a boost of refreshing hydration and some silicon for your skin.
Grapefruit ginger infused Water: I have blogged this recipe before and it’s a very yummy tasting spa like water that helps beat bloat and hydrate at the same time. The infusion of vitamins and antioxidants give you energy and the compounds in grapefruit actually help you burn fat. One of my favorite ways to get rid of water retention.
Most importantly, waiting to feel thirsty means your body is already in dehydration mode. Keep drinking water or these magic waters through the day even if you don’t feel thirsty. You should be getting a minimum of 10 – 12 glasses/ day. Are you getting enough water for the day?
