My friend, Dr. Rozeela Nand at Innate Chiropractic & Wellness Centre, has a sign above her water cooler that caught my eye on my first visit to her practice.  It’s a simple message but also profoundly important to our well-being.  My daughter and I replicated the sign for our fridge this past weekend – and of course, my daughter put her own touches on it!

It’s become kind of like a sing-song reminder in our home and I have to admit, it’s usually my daughter reminding me to hydrate.

We know there are countless benefits of drinking water; our bodies are made up of at least 75% of the stuff – and it does all kinds of wonderful things for our general health.  I found this article on the internet after a quick Google search – a reminder of the reasons we should be reaching a little more often for H2O.  The article also includes some tips on how to form a healthy hydration habit.

I was never the kind of person who needed to be reminded to drink water.  In general, it’s the only thing I drink besides an occasional cup of herbal tea, or a club soda when I need something fizzy – something I got hooked on during my second pregnancy but I now seem to be weaning off.  I used to carry a water bottle around with me everywhere I went.  I always had one on my desk at work, drank in the car at red lights and had a full glass on my bedside table so I could reach for it first thing in the morning.

Five years ago, I traded in my water bottle for a bundle of joy – a squiggly, squirmy, please-don’t-put-me-down-or-I’ll-scream little sweetheart.  It wasn’t just the water habit that fell by the wayside.  A lot of my self-care did.  And I’m totally not blaming my children – I think I need them to survive more than I do anything else.  I just didn’t keep up with some really simple things.

The “Love your body, drink water” message hit home for me because I do love my body.  I know that if I don’t take care of it, I have nowhere else to live!  I appreciate the way it ticks and tocks and gets me through my day.  But lately, that relationship has felt one-sided and now I’m eager to give back some of the love it shows me.

Will you join me this week?  What is your relationship with water?  Are you getting enough?  Are there simple health challenges you face that could be alleviated with proper hydration?  It’s important to be aware of our body’s messages so take some time to tune in – either in a silent moment with your eyes closed or in your journal.  Whatever works for you.

This past week I have gotten back into the habit of keeping a water glass with me everywhere and refilling constantly.  I’ve noticed that I actually feel thirsty now whereas previously I could go a whole day and not feel thirsty.  Did you know that a sign of cellular dehydration is the diminished thirst signal?

I’d love to know if you love your body and drink more water this week.  Do you have a tip or story to share?  Leave a comment below!

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