During the summertime it can be especially difficult to drink enough water, sometimes we think that because we consumed so much raw food or fruit that day that we must be hydrated. But it’s most likely possible that we have not had enough water for the day. We all have little “tricks” or things we do to get ourselves to drink more water.

I’ve seen people make a mark every 8 ounces on their water bottles with the hour marked on each. So you get up at 8am lets say, you drink 8 ounces between 8-9, then from 9-10 you drink another 8 ounces.

May be keeping a bottle of water in your car, office and so on works best for you. There is a way for everyone to drink more water, they may be completely different, but as long as you are drinking filtered water with no mystery sweeteners or acids then it’s all good!

Our daily routines are diverse, so our water in take and habits will not be the same either. There is nothing wrong with that too 🙂 I have a favorite saying by Susan Powter, “The habits that took years to build, do not take a day to change.” Please do not get frustrated if the first day of making a point to drink more water you do not drink the amount that was your goal for the day. These things take time, getting frustrated can cause negative reactions such as thinking that you never will be able to drink that much water. Thus, you won’t because you have your mind already set on that, you are already there. Instead try to think positive about the changes you have already managed to make. Thank yourself for taking on this goal and caring about yourself.

If you do not know how much water you should be drinking a day there are several tests online you can find. The thing is, depending on the altitude of where you live, how much you exercise, if you live somewhere dry, if you are pregnant and many other factors are included into calculating how much water you need to consume. The next time you visit your doctor, ask him/her how much water you should consume daily.

I have recently moved to an area that has a much higher altitude than where I previously lived. This has had a major impact on my body & water consumption, I almost always feel thirsty here. This has been a great resource for me with figuring out how much water to drink because you can calculate the drinks you typically have such as tea, energy drinks (I do not personally drink but for those who do) and so on. Plus your excercise regiment, if you are male/female, pregnant or lactating are also taken into consideration. I personally need to drink around 2.5 to 3 liters a day or more.

Something that has been a huge help for me with drinking more water is making steepers. Steepers are fruits, vegetables and/or herbs that steep in filtered water overnight. The following day when you drink the water it has the flavors, fibers and health benefits of the ingredients in the water.

Usually I like to refill this throughout the day, may be if I am at a tea shop or restaurant I’ll ask if they do not mind filling it up for me. So far everyone has said yes, and I’ve even received some compliments that the container smelled so good or the person thanks me for reminding them to drink more water.

Time for some steeper recipes after all that jibber jabber and dryness from speaking about health benefits :D!

Cucumber Lemon Mint Steeper

This is my favorite ❤

1/2 cucumber, washed and cut to your preferred style. I like to just cut the cucumber left to right, side to side. But if you would like for fun cut the cucumber from north to south go for! If you are not using organic ingredients for this I would remove the peel, just a recommendation.

1 small lemon, washed and sliced to your preferred style. Like the cucumber I cut the lemon from left to right then cut it down the middle. Have fun, cut the lemon into triangles, stars, the prettier you think it looks the more likely you will drink your water. Plus, unconciously or not, sometimes we take out our water and take a sip to get attention from someone 😉 use it as a cover to check out some eye candy etc. ❤

10 mint leaves washed, or if you prefer 2 or 3 sprigs of mint (the leaves on the stick)

Pour in filtered water to the top, I used a 32 ounce mason jar

Let this sit over night in your fridge, tightly sealed.

This steeper has many detoxing benefits, and mint is great for any digestion problems that might occur throughout the day with meals or stress. I’ve found this to be a great way to cool down also, and it’s great to snack on the leftover cucumber of even juice the remains of your steeper the following morning.

This steeper may be not be as pleasing to your taste buds so you may need lemon to it, but please try this just as is at first.

Oregano Steeper

6 fresh sprigs of oregano, washed and kept on the stem

Pour in filtered water to the top, I used a 32 ounce mason jar

Both the leaves and stems of the oregano plant have; antiseptic, carminative, increase bile secretion, diaphoretic, expectorant, stimulant, antispasmodic, and slight tonic properties. It is also extremely high in iron, vitamin k, magnesium, vitamin a, fiber, folates, vitamin c, and pyridoxine. Oregano is more popularly known for it’s high antioxidant content, many people consume oregano oils during the winter cold season to fight illness. Using oregano in a steeper is a great way to get a nice healthy dose without buying oil.

I used organic locally grown oregano, when using oregano fresh I strongly recommend buying it organic. If you are not familiar with how to pick a healthy bundle of oregano look for green strong oregano. If you see any mold, black spots or the leaves/stem do not feel strong then the oregano is bad or on the way there.

I have at least three more steepers to share but I do not want to overwhelm everyone! I feel like this post may already be putting you all to sleep. Thank you all so much for taking the time to stop by my site! I hope we all can truly love our bodies and self by doing simple things like eating right, changing bad habits, and drinking plenty of water. These steepers have been wonderful to me and I wish the same for all of you. Much love & raw power ❤

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