What’s your go-to beverage?

Coffee to start the day? Iced tea or soda with lunch? A beer or glass of wine to wind down?

Most people assume that as long as they’re drinking something, they’re staying hydrated.

We’ve been told to “drink eight glasses of water a day” for optimal health—but what would you say knowing that the eight-glass recommendation came at the very same time they infused public drinking water with fluoride?

Fluoride is a chemical linked to thyroid suppression, brain fog, lowered IQ, and even calcification of the pineal gland, the body’s energetic center of intuition and circadian rhythm. So, the very water we were told to drink may have also been dampening our awareness, metabolism, and internal regulation.

And here’s another kicker: not all fluids hydrate.  Beverages that contain caffeine act as a diuretic (fluid loss), alcohol blocks vasopressin (the hormone that helps your body retain water), sugary drinks create a spike-crash cycle (that diverts water into tissues) and any acidic ingredients, like phosphoric acid in soda, interferes with mineral absorption (and your body’s ability to hold water).

But wait … there’s more…and it’s good news.  Did you know that the body can generate its own water? The water in the body is an H3O2 composition – “living water” – not the H2O we drink.  So why do we drink water at all?  And the symptoms of brain fog, sluggish digestion, disconnection and dry skin, are they signs of what we’re drinking or what we’re doing?

Aha! ~ Hydration is all about what your body can use.

So, what does support real hydration?

SUNLIGHT, especially early morning and infrared. GROUNDING to support your electrical balance.  MINERAL RICH WATER with a pinch of sea salt first to help your body absorb the water.  RAW FRUIT AND VEGGIES which have a gel water type structure which your body loves. MOVEMENT and breathwork to circulate and energize your entire fluid system.

To underscore drinking clean, mineral-rich water, know that it provides raw material your body needs to flush toxins, maintain blood volume and cool the body.  It also acts a a delivery system for electrolytes, minerals and nutrients and, of course, helps maintain essential functions like kidney and digestive.  So, drink your water but know it’s not the whole enchilada.

In other words, you’re not just a bucket to be filled. You’re a living system designed to create and hold “living water.” And the more you live in sync with nature, the more naturally hydrated you become.

You were never meant to measure wellness in ounces—but in aliveness.

I did a chakra reading at the Blu Room in January and found that some of my middle chakras were almost non-existent – totally drained.  It’s got me studying hydration and applying tactics in an entirely new way.  Learn more when we gather in Human U this Wednesday.