WATER - The most important nutrient! (Part 1)
There I said it - water is hands-down THE most important nutrient! Since the human body is made up of 60% water it makes sense that hydration is absolutely key when it comes to health.
In my recent cookbook eBook, Foundations in Health, I refer to water as the number one key pillar of health.
After all, we can survive without food for weeks but we can only survive without water for a few days. You see, water is needed by every single cell in the body - water transports nutrients into the cells to nourish the cells and also helps transport toxins out of the cells so the body can effectively eliminate them. Water helps bulk up stools to promote bowel regularity and keeps your poop moving along nicely. Water is also key for metabolic health - the same part of the brain, hypothalamus, controls hunger AND thirst, which means you can be easily confused whether you’re hungry or thirsty. When I encourage patients to drink more water they often comment that they’ve noticed they’re more full or not overeating!
So how much water do YOU need to drink? Here’s a personalised formula that I often use. Grab a calculator for this one. 33 x your weight in kilos = daily recommended intake of mL for basic metabolic function, plus you’d want to add on an additional 500mls per hour of exercise!
My general rule of thumb is that your urine should be nearly clear - if it’s not or it’s pungent smelling, there’s a god chance you’re dehydrated. So start looking in the bowl, it’s your bodies way of sending you subtle signals!
Remember, it’s healthy to urinate frequently, as this is a key detoxification pathway. When you increase you water intake you may experience more regular trips to the loo - it’s normal to urinate 6-8 times every 24 hours (which would be about every 2.5 - 3 hours!)
My Hot Tips to Drinking More Water:
Work out YOUR personalised daily water target - 33 x kgs
Have visual reminders - have a few drink bottles around the house, put reminders in your phone or go old-school and use post-it notes/dairy scribbles
Remember that water includes good quality filtered water as well as herbal tea, sparkling water and even bone broth!
Try drinking a glass of water before each meal/snack
Want more?:
If you’d like to dive deeper into the importance of water and water quality, you can get full access to the Water for Life program, for free! You’ll learn all about water from a health perspective and how to really create healthy habits when it comes to water as a key nutrient. Enrol in the Water for Life program here
Water for Life Graduates:
““I was not aware of the true benefits of water until taking on the information of water for life. I need to watch it again ! It was practical and clear! I’m feeling good after one week of the water challenge - not as hungry, less cravings, 1kg weight loss and not looking to snack, all after just one week!.”
Tony | 2020
“Olivia has an amazing ability to communicate critical pieces of information without you even realising, every interaction just feels like a conversation with your best friend.
Somehow, the information manages to stick with you so that hours/ days/ weeks later you will be sitting at your desk feeling like you might be hungry but instead you get yourself a glass of water, without even thinking about it!
I think that the key to Olivia’s success is that everything she says is presented in a way that is easy to understand and even easier to implement. This is an incredible gift, particularly when you consider the life changing implications of what she is saying.”
Amelia | 2020