Try a Water Detox for Self-Care of Mind and Body

Do you have aches, pains, and digestive or mental health difficulties? Do you feel lethargic? Are you noticing a rise in skin breakouts or increased bad breath? Here's an idea for you to feel and look better: cleanse the body with H₂O on the rocks. Here's how to do it.

A Water Detox – Drinking Water Is a Basic Self-Care Habit

Detox simply means cleansing the blood of impurities. It is a process of eliminating toxins and introducing adequate water and healthy nutrients into the body. Of course, the body does naturally neutralize toxins by removing them through the skin, liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, and lymph. However, as a result of a barrage of daily environmental toxins, limited water intake, unhealthy foods, and lack of rest and exercise, the body’s natural systems tend to weaken. Often times this leads to those dreadful aches, pains digestive difficulties, lethargy, mental health problems and bad skin.

Remember that every system in your body depends on water - staying hydrated is even important to mental health. Did you know the body can sustain itself up to five weeks without food but only five to seven days without water? Bottom line is we cannot live without water, and why would one want to? Water helps remove toxins, carries nutrients to cells, flushes by-products of fat, helps raise metabolism, improves digestion, increases energy, and hydrates from the inside out. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Self-Care and the Water Detox

Don't punish yourself by refusing to drink water! You must drink enough to ensure healthy mental and physical functioning. Adding water to your self-care regimen is important. If drinking enough water is tough for you, think of forming the water drinking habit as a detox program. After all, water is the most important factor in any detox program. You may as well make drinking water fun.

How to Detox With H₂O on the Rocks

Detoxing with water doesn't mean you over do your water consumption. Just make sure you're getting enough water.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an adequate daily water intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The adequate intake for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. If you like being more precise, divide your weight in pounds by two, then drink that many ounces of water in one day (If you're 200 pounds: 200 / 2 = 100 ounces of water).

H₂O drinking tips to get you started with your detox:

1. Drink water as soon as you wake in the morning (Anxiety Treatment: Drink More Water, Less Caffeine).
2. Place bottled water in every room in your house.
3. Keep bottled water in your car and at the office (Good Self-Care Helps Anxiety at Work).
4. Don't be afraid to drink room temperature water in lieu of cold water! It's all good for you.
5. Add a lemon or cucumber slice, or even a sprig of spearmint to your water.
6. Freeze small cubes of lemons, limes, or oranges and use them as ice cubes.
7. Make it a habit to drink water whenever you pass a water fountain or a sink.
8. Get an insulated tumbler to keep by your bedside.
9. Place a sticky note that says “drink water” in places you’ll see.

Water is essential for life. So do your body a favor and detox with H₂O on the rocks.

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