Live Well Strategy #24 - Easily Boost and Enjoy Your Water Intake!

We all know that we need to be drinking at least 64 oz of water everyday – but sometimes it can be hard to get it down (especially when Diet Coke or Juice seems more appealing taste wise!)   

So how can you easily boost your water intake every day and ENJOY it?
 
By making your water taste GREAT…..Cranberry Water!  A cooling, slightly sweet/tart and thirst quenching drink, Cranberry Water has high levels of antioxidants and numerous health benefits.  Cranberry Water is also very low calorie and low-glycemic as the Cranberry juice you will be using is unsweetened and you'll use Stevia to sweeten your drink.  

Cranberries are considered a “functional food”, meaning they provide natural health benefits far beyond basic nutrition.  Drink 64 oz of this every day and you will feel GREAT – and best of all, you won’t feel like you are forcing yourself to drink water. 
 
What are Cranberries good for?

• Detoxifier – helps keep the liver’s detoxification pathways open
• Digestive Aid and helps remove fat deposits remaining in your lymphatic system.  MAY even help Cellulite ☺  Reason enough to drink 64 oz per day!
• Cholesterol Zapper - Cranberries contain flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds – which help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol – the “BAD” cholesterol.
• Natural defense against atherosclerosis and heart disease
• Help prevent bladder infections by stopping the bacteria, E. Coli from sticking to the lining of the bladder.
• Minimize bad breath by preventing bacteria from gathering on the surface of your teeth

What do you need to make Cranberry Water?  (Purchase from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sunflower or other organic food store).

• Water Bottle.  I like our Live Well Camelbak 24oz Water Bottles as I drink TONS more water using them b/c of the “adult sippy cup” feel to it.  No top to unscrew, doesn’t leak if knocked over, dishwater safe, great for the gym, car etc.  I have 3 – one in my office, one in my car and one in my kitchen so that I’m always drinking – water that is!  
• Filtered Water – filter your own, buy spring water or try to use brands that use reverse osmosis and carbon filtration.
• Pure, UNSWEETENED Cranberry Juice.  (I.e. Mountain Sun from Whole Foods.)
• Liquid Stevia (i.e. Sweet Leaf from Whole Foods).  Stevia is a natural sweetener made from herbs and contains no calories or carbs and does not spike your blood sugar.  Liquid Stevia has no bitter after taste.  Also, NuStevia by NuNaturals has a Packet version that is non-bitter as well. 

How do you make Cranberry Water?  (32 oz)

• Fill your Water Bottle with 28 oz of filtered, cold water
• Add 8-10 drops of Stevia, depending how sweet or tart you like your drink
• Add 4 oz of Unsweetened Cranberry Juice (Only 30 calories)

And voila!  You have a GREAT drink that will taste like a treat all day ☺  Drink up to 64 ounces per day (8 oz of unsweetened Cranberry Juice).
 
Options:  Add 4 oz of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice instead of Cranberry Juice.  They too have additional Health Benefits, are low calorie, low-glycemic and taste great! 

Be Happy, Be Vibrant...

Live Well, 

Carmen

 
*Cold Day Variation of how to get your daily water intake in an enjoyable way:  Buy 5-6 herbal teas and sip 5-6 cups every day.  I constantly drink herbal tea to keep warm and keep my water intake up during the cold months.  Green tea (Tea of Inquiry from Republic of Tea is my favorite), Coconut White tea, Peppermint, Spearmint, Bengal Spice, Cinnamon and Gingerbread are all some of my favorite natural, non sugar hot teas.  Visit your natural food store and go wild in the tea section ☺

** See Live Well Strategy #5 on our blog for more Live Well Healthy Summer drinks!

Live Well Strategy #16 - Tips for Surviving Holiday Parties

1. Have A Plan: Know that you need a plan to stay healthy during the holidays, but also intend that it’s going to be easier and fun to be healthy during the holidays! And that you’re going to start Jan 1 feeling GREAT!
   
   
2. Keep Consistent: When we are busy/stressed, the small things we do (or don’t do) are even MORE important. Continue taking your USANA Essentials or MyHealthPak, BiOmega/OptOmega (Essential Fatty Acids), one USANA Nutrimeal shake plus one USANA Nutrition bar every day, and do 30 minutes of your favorite exercise at least 5 days per week - EVEN during the holidays. You need the vitamins, anti-oxidants and good nutrition even more during this season. Use your healthy habits as connection time with your family – make your mom a shake, go for a walk with your sister, etc.
   
   
3. Nix the All or Nothing Mentality: If we overindulge, a common response is to keep going because we’ve already “ruined it”. Remember that just because you ate that piece of cake, it doesn’t mean that you need to eat the entire dessert table :-) Also, one meal doesn’t make us gain weight, it’s what we do afterward that makes all the difference.
   
   
4. Fill the Void: Offer to bring healthy appetizers to parties and family get-togethers. There are so many yummy low-glycemic recipes out there, wow everyone with your creativity! Also, think of all the things you CAN eat instead of focusing on all the things you’ve decided not to eat. The foods that are harvested in the fall are packed full of vitamins and anti-oxidants (i.e. pumpkin, squash, apples, sweet potatoes). We get to choose how to prepare them!
   
   
5. Magic Tricks: Our favorite Live Well “tricks” are 1) eat a USANA bar/shake before going out to avoid last minute party cravings, 2) fill your plate with fruit & veggies at cocktail parties so people aren’t asking why you aren’t eating cake and cookies, even better, offer to bring a fruit or veggie tray, and 3) have sparkling water with a lime in a highball glass or wine glass to avoid any unwanted pressure to drink and to give you something to sip on.
   
   
6. It’s YOUR Life: Don’t let others try to talk you into being unhealthy and incongruent with your health goals. Often times, you will be an inspiration that they can do it too!
   
   
7. Drink MORE Water: Water makes up 60-70% of your body and EVERY system in your body depends on it. Drink 8-12 glasses (8oz each) minimum each day and add one more glass for each caffeinated and alcoholic beverage you have. Water will help you feel full, have more energy and better able to handle everything.
   
   
8. Lifestyle Choices: Choose how much sleep and exercise you need every day and make them nonnegotiable. Holidays can also be stressful for a number or reasons and the #1 de-stresser can be learning to say “No.” You don’t have to go to every party :-) Also add on a stress-reduction method that works best for you, massage, Yoga, talking to a friend, movies, etc.
   
   
9. What if you DO overindulge? We all do sometimes :-) Drink tons of water before going to bed and take extra USANA Proflavanol C100 that night to reduce inflammation, build the immune system and detox the body. In the morning, drink a large glass of water, have a Nutrimeal shake with your Essentials/MyHealthPak and BiOmega/OptOmega to stabilize your blood sugar. Go for a workout or even a walk in the morning – the movement and endorphins will help you feel better and back on track. Most importantly, drink lots of water throughout the day, eat normally and don’t try to compensate by eating fewer calories, otherwise your metabolism will adjust and slow down.
   
   
10. Create Connection: Enjoy the Holiday Season for what it is about, family, friends, and connections - not just eating. It’s amazing when you take the focus off of food how many other things you will notice about the holidays!

Be Happy...Be Vibrant...

Live Well,

Carmen :-)

Live Well Strategy #3 - Water Your Body & Brain

“Observe a plant before and after being watered and relate these benefits to your BODY & BRAIN.  Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your brain sharp.”  – Lululemon Athletica


Water is absolutely CRUCIAL to all aspects of your health and wellness, including your skin, joints, brain, energy, focus, weight loss and reducing risk of disease and infection.  Water makes up 60-70 % of your body weight and EVERY system in your body depends on water.  If there is ONE thing that can immensely change your health for the better – it’s the amount of H2O you drink every day.

How much should I drink every day? The 8-12 glasses (8 oz each) minimum is a GREAT guideline.  The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.  Most bottled water contains around 16 oz – so I make sure I drink four per day minimum or fill up my Live Well CamelBak Water Bottle three times per day. 

Can I count coffee/tea/soft drinks in my daily amount? Your 8-12 glasses per day should come from water, NOT from tea, coffee, or soft drinks.  Coffee/tea/soft drinks actually dehydrate you – and therefore you need to drink an EXTRA glass of pure water to replace what you have lost.


How about tap water?  I personally don’t drink unfiltered tap water.  When Dr. Wentz, the world’s expert on cellular nutrition, was asked what vitamin he would give his cells in Gull Labs if he could only give them only one, he replied, "purified water."  His cells would show signs of degeneration when they did not get purified water – even more so than lack of good nutrition.

When should I drink water? Sip throughout the day – imagine lightly sprinkling a lawn, not deluging it with a downpour as this will create a “run-off” and not be absorbed properly.  Keep a bottle of water with you at ALL times so that you can sip throughout the day. Drink before you are thirsty because when you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Thirst is also often mistaken as hunger – so drink often to feel less hungry.  Dehydration may show up as a headache, tiredness, lightheadedness, nausea or anxiety.  If you experience any of these symptoms, drink 1-2 glasses of pure water (before you eat or grab a coffee or sugar!) and notice if you feel better.

What if I find it difficult to drink enough water? Make it more appealing - add lemon/lime to it along with liquid stevia (if you like a bit of natural sweetness) or a tiny bit of pure juice (so you don’t spike your blood sugar).  Sip when you are doing activities that you don’t even think of it like writing emails, driving, blow drying your hair (my favorite :-).   I keep bottles in my car, in my office, in my kitchen, bedroom so that whatever I am doing I can be sipping throughout the day.

When should I drink more than normal? When you have exercised more than usual, it is extremely hot or if you have had more alcohol, salty or richer meals.  With alcohol and rich meals - on the day of AND the day after – water and USANA’s Proflavanol 90 will help you feel better and get the toxins out of your body more quickly.

Drink 8 glasses of water today and just notice how you feel... when we feel better, we tend to keep doing things that are good for us!

Be Happy... Be Vibrant...

Live Well,

Carmen