When we think about making healthy changes, sometimes we want to change everything all at once! {That go-big-or-go-home thinking can sometimes paralyze us, even when we are feeling extremely motivated!}

That is partly why we are doing this challenge in a really short time-frame! We are going to practice taking baby steps toward a healthier life, for ourselves and for those who depend on us. But I want to stress at the onset, one simple and very powerful truth:

The small things we do, that lead to growth and progress, in this case better self-care, are really the big things!

Likewise, the small things we do for ourselves, our spouse, our children, our neighbors and friends often leave the greatest impact.

So as we dig in, please hold that thought in your mind. There isn’t a positive step you can take forward that is too small.
It will count.

Also, some of the ideas I give may be things you already do! Or, on a given day you may have a greater need for something other than what I write about. Please implement the idea for the day, or whatever else it is that you need right then ok? Ok!

Day 2: Hydrate your cells. Yep it’s basic. But are we doing it as well as we should?

This hydration recipe has been a Godsend to me. I hope it might benefit you too:

Stir together,

1 pitcher of clean water {no chlorination}
juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp Real salt
1 Tbs raw honey

and drink it throughout the day. Salt actually helps you absorb water and other nutrients. And electrolyte balance is crucial for nerve and muscle function.

When we get busy, sometimes we forget to drink enough water.
We may think that drinking milk or juice or even soda is enough.
But our bodies need just plain water, consistently, every day.

Do you recognize some of these signs of dehydration in yourself?

Headache
Fatigue
Dark {or highly concentrated} urine
Brain fog
Muscle aches
Dry lips
Dry skin
Nausea
Fainting
Hunger
Constipation

If you experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis, try increasing your water intake and see if they improve. The first sign I notice is that my lips feel dry. Second symptom is headache. Red flags! Need water!

We know that drinking water is a fundamental need!

And there is most likely nothing in the way of us taking care of this need except maybe for ignorance or busy-ness. Yikes!

Think of it: if you live where there is clean water whenever you turn on the plumbing that brings it right to your sink, why would you not get enough? Are there any reasons that make sense? I can’t think of any either.

But! I remember as a young mom thinking that if I drank too much, I’d just be running to the bathroom all day! And when I did try to drink more, that usually was what happened because I was so dehydrated in the first place. Let me explain. {I once heard this explanation that has helped me visualize the need to keep water moving through my body.}

What happens when you throw a dry sponge onto a sink or tub full of water? It floats right? At least until the water slowly starts to be absorbed into the fibers of the sponge.

If you only drink enough to stay alive, and you’re chronically in a state of dehydration, you don’t absorb the water as well as you would if you were more hydrated in the first place! Make sense?

So drink and get past the “floating sponge” stage and into a fully hydrated kidney stage. You’ll run to the bathroom less. At least that is my experience.

Eat more whole, fresh food!

Plants have the job of putting nutrients in their fluids for us to consume! A juicy orange is full of nutrients designed just for us. Lettuce, tomatoes, apples, carrots, even squash and root vegetables give us fluid that is rich in nutrient value.

Stop drinking soda.

Soda acts as a diuretic that causes you to dump fluid, along with the minerals and nutrients your body needs! Please, please, don’t consume chemical-sugar-and or artificial sweetener-laden fluid! Your filtration system will have to work harder to clean it out of your body. Don’t get in the way of your miraculous body working as well as it possibly can by pouring such waste into it. {We wouldn’t do that to our cars would we?}

Hydration looks youthful.

Dewy skin is youthful skin. That is another way of saying hydrated skin and tissues not only function better, but look better too.

I hope you enjoyed the declaration video today! I hope you will lovingly care for yourself today! I hope you will chime in and report one thing you have done to care for yourself each week!

A healthy mama is a happy mama. And our families will reap the benefits of our health and happiness!

Be well!
Love,
Jacque