Benefits of Drinking Water You Never Knew

As we all know, water is a crucial and essential part of our life and it is very important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Want to know what are the beneifts water have towards your body? Read on!

1. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids.

Our body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature which needs water.

2. Water Can Help Control Calories.

Drinking lots of water can be a weight loss strategy. Water is a good substitute for higher calorie beverages which certainly helps to reduce the intake of calories. Eating water-rich foods such as soup, watermelon and grapes help to keep you fuller for longer periods hence reducing your calorie intake.

Food with high water content tends to look larger, its higher volume requires more chewing, and it is absorbed more slowly by the body, which helps you feel full.

3. Water Helps Energize Muscles.

Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. This causes the muscles to not work as well and performance can suffer.

Drinking enough fluids is important when exercising to replace fluids lost by sweating.

4. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good.

Ladies listen up! Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration. You can also help "lock" moisture into your skin by using moisturizer, which creates a physical barrier to keep moisture in.

5. Water Helps Your Kidneys.

Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine.Our kidneys help to cleanse and rid our body of toxins if we drink enough water.

6. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function.

Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation.

Benefits of drinking water when you wake up:

1. It fires up your metabolism.

Drinking a large, cool glass of water after you wake up has been shown to fire up your metabolism.

2. You’re dehydrated when you wake up.

You just went 7-8 hours without drinking any water! Drinking water after you wake up would give you more energy.

3. Water helps your body flush out toxins.

Getting fluids into your body right after your wake up will help your body flush out toxins first thing in the morning.

4. Your brain tissue is 75% water.

When you’re not properly hydrated, your brain operates on less fuel, and you can feel drained, or experience fatigue or mood fluctuations.

5. You’ll eat less.

One study showed that people who drink a glass of water before every meal lost 4.5 pounds over a three-month period, because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories and makes you full as a result. Drinking water can reduce the temptation of snacking and this helps in maintaining weight loss.

Is it okay to drink water before sleeping?

The answer is yes but in moderation. Of course, caffeine should not be drank at night if you want to have a good sleep. Drinking a sip of water before bed is alright and is beneficial:

Sleep-Promoting Benefits

You are naturally balancing your body's vitamins, nutrients and minerals when you drink water, replenishing all that it burns up and keeping you functioning correctly. By drinking water before bed, your hormones, energy levels, muscles and joints become balanced. This helps you relax and leaves you feeling rejuvenated in the morning. While you sleep, water has the time to reach every part of your body and replenish it fully. In time, you will be able to sleep more soundly and consistently by drinking water before bed, leaving your muscles, vitamins and minerals in harmony.

Do remember to always drink up and cheers to a healthier, more refreshed you!

*Water does not include carbonated drinks, juices,sodas etc.

Juices That Keeps You Looking Young

The most important thing contributing towards looking older is oxidation, cells being damaged by free radicals. Antioxidants which are found in fruits and vegetables help fight off and protect the body from free radicals and are higher in berries and bright coloured produce.

Juice and eat a maximum amount of bright colored and antioxidant rich foods to help your body fend off aging. This is the cheapest, easiest way to keep looking young.

Fruits and vegetables for juicing:

Apples, Blueberries, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Melons, Oranges, Papaya, Pears, Raspberries, Strawberries, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Leafy Greens, Onions, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes.

Herbs to add to teas/ juices:

Cayenne, German Chamomile, Garlic, Ginger, Gingko, Green Tea, Lemon Balm, Milk Thistle, Oregno, Parsley, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme, Tumeric.

Any combinations of these fruit, veggie and herbs help to provide antioxidants.

1. Berry Juice

2 cups strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1½ cups raspberries

1 apple

Core the apple. Juice the strawberries, blueberries, apple and raspberries. Serve.

2. Berry Apple Combo

1/3 cup of strawberries

1 cup of blueberries

1 apple

Core the apple. Juice the strawberries, blueberries and apple. Serve. Remember,anything with berries are loaded with anti-aging antioxidants.

3. Kiwi Pear Juice

2 kiwis

3 pears

1 apple

Peel the kiwis, core the pear and apple. Juice together and serve.

This juice is pretty sweet, but really great for dessert.

4. Cran Apple Juice

3/4 cup cranberries

3 carrots

2 apples

Core the apples. Juice the carrots, apples and cranberries. Drink immediately.

Cranberry is good for your bladder and liver!

5. Apple Cucumber Juice

5 Apples

1/2 Cucumber

Core the apples. Juice the apples and cucumber as usual. Serve.

Especially cooling for a hot day!

6. Pineapple Cranberry Juice

1/2 pineapple

1/2 cup of cranberries

1 apple

Core the apple and pineapple. Remove the rind from the pineapple. Juice the cranberries, pineapple and apple. Serve.

7. Apple Watermelon

2 apples

3 slices of watermelon

Core the apples. Remove the rind from the watermelon. Juice together and serve.

8. Strawberry Grape Orange Juice

1 cup of strawberries

1 cup of grapes (red)

1 orange

Peel the orange. Juice the strawberries, grapes and orange together. Serve.

9. Melon Carrot Orange Juice

Half a melon

1 carrot

4 oranges

Peel the oranges, and remove the rind from the melon. Juice the carrots, melon and oranges together. Drink immediately.

The melon combines nicely with the vitamin A&C packed orange and carrot juices.

10. Peachy Carrot Juice

2 peaches

2 apricots

1/2 cup green grapes

Remove the pits from the apricots and peaches. Juice the peaches, apricots and green grapes. Serve.

This is a mushy fruit juice, but another one good for dessert or those that like sweet treats. Make this instead of reaching for that candy bar.

11. Pomegranate Apple Juice

1 pomegranate (seeds seperated from pilth)

2 apples

Core the apples and seperate the pomegranate arils. Juice them together and serve.

If you are looking for juices to help fend the weight off, click here!

Is A Juice Diet Effective For Weight Loss?

Want to lose weight and plan to go on a juice diet? Here are some things you need to know about juice cleanses and some amazing recipes are found below too! Keep reading :)

Reasons for weight loss juicing

• It’s safe.
• It ensures your body is getting nutrition.
• You aren’t deprived of foods you are use to eating.
• It’s a great way to teach yourself to start eating healthier.
• It keeps you full.

Two common ways to reduce your weight with juicing

1. Juice fasting

2. Juicing to replace one or more meals a day

Juice Fast

Studies shown that juicing and fasting are the safest and best way to reduce weight. A safe weight loss method should not only be able to take inches and pounds off, but also be able to supply the body with the necessary nutrients to keep in good health during and after. Juicing fills this requirement.

Juice fasting is the safest way to reduce weight. On average, you lose one pound a day. A 14 day fast would take off about 14 pounds if you follow some general guidelines on juice fasting. One popular and possibly easier way to shed a few pounds using fresh juice is to replace a solid meal each day with a glass of juice.

Replacing meals with juices gives you the nutrition you need, keeps you full, is not over-caloric, and is cleansing. Drinking fresh juices are much better than drinking canned juices that may have processed sugar added into them.

When trying to lose weight, we want to consume as little sugar as possible. Hence, it is best to drink vegetable juices instead of fruit juices as fruits are high in sugar.

Here are some vegetable juice recipes you can try:

1.Carrot Tomato Celery Juice

3 Carrots

2 Tomatoes

2-3 Celery Ribs

Juice the carrots, tomatos and celery together. Serve immediately.

A classic vegetable juice recipe.

2. Tomato Juice

4 Tomatoes (Roma are firmer and work the best)

Cut the tomatoes into wedges and feed through your juicer. Serve.

Use tomato juice to make your own tomato soup. Mixing in some celery and a little carrot and parsley make a great tomato cocktail.

3. Carrot Juice

7-9 long carrots

Carrot Juice is suprisingly sweet, has lots of vitamin A. Its great for your eyes and skin and you can add it to almost any of your own vegetable juice recipes, as it is extremely versatile.

4. Sweet Kale Asparagus

2 Oranges

3 Kale leaves

1/2 cup Spinach

4 stalks of Asparagus

Peel the oranges and juice them with the kale, spinach and asparagus. Serve immediately.

Like all leafy greens kale has an amazing amount of chlorophyll, vitamin A and C. Asparagus has a lot of vitamin E (along with others, of course), and spinach has calcium and vitamin E. Needless to say, this will be good for your skin as well as getting in a good dose of nutrients for the day.

5. Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower

1 Stalk of Broccoli

Quarter head of Cabbage

Quarter head of Cauliflower

2 Kale leaves

1/2 Lemon, peel ok

2 Apples

Core the apples and cut a lemon in half. Prepare the cabbage and cauliflower. Juice the broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale lemon and apples together. Serve.

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in endoles, the cancer preventative chemicals.

6. Spinach Watercress Juice

3 sprigs of Parsley

1 handful of Spinach

1 handful of Watercress

3 apples

Core the apples. Juice the apples plus all the greens together and serve.

This is a great blood cleanser!

7. Spinach Carrot Combo

1 handful of Spinach

6 Carrots

Cut tops of of the carrots if necessary. Juice the spinach and carrots together. Serve.

This is an alkalizing digestive juice.

8. Carrot Beet Juice

1/2 Beetroot

6 Carrots

Juice the carrots with the beets and serve.

9. Pineapple Celery Juice

2 Pineapple rounds

4 stalks of celery

Core a pineapple and remove the rind. Cut the celery into 3 inch pieces  Take two 1 inch rounds of the pineapple and juice it with the celery. Serve.

10. Cucumber Tomato Juice

1 cucumber

1 tomato

1 garlic clove, peeled

Cut the cucumber in fours. Cut the tomato in half. Peel the garlic. Juice together and serve immediately.

Detox Diet | Meal Plans For Detox

Detox is the process of removing toxic substances from the body. There are many diet plans out there to help people detox and they usually last for 1 week. Detox diets include a fruits diet, a liquid diet or juice cleanse.

Food to eat during your detox

• Fruit – Include any fruit in your plan. Fruits are best fresh or frozen. Skip the canned fruits as they tend to be higher in sugar. Consume fruits like apples, bananas, pears, oranges, grapefruit, satsumas, sultanas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, nectarines, peaches, melons, star fruit, pomegranate etc
• Fruit juice – Either make homemade fruit juices or smoothies from fresh fruit. You may want to give ready made juices a miss as they usually contain sugar.
• Vegetables – Eat any fresh vegetables which includes carrots, onions, turnip, swede, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, sweetcorn, peppers, leeks, courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, seaweed etc
• Beans and lentils – Eat any beans, including those that have been dried or canned in water. This includes red kidney, haricot, cannellini, black eye, pinto, red lentils, green lentils and brown lentils
• Tofu and Quorn  
• Oats – Sprinkle oats over fresh fruit or use to make porridge, sweetened with honey and fresh fruit; or have oats with milk.
• Brown rice and rice noodles
• Rye crackers, rice cakes and oatcakes
• Fresh fish – Eat any fresh fish including cod, plaice, mackerel, salmon, lobster, crab, trout, haddock, tuna, prawns, Dover sole, red mullet, halibut, lemon sole, monkfish, swordfish etc.
• Unsalted nuts and seeds – Eat any including Brazil, peanuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds
• Plain popcorn – without sugar or salt
• Yoghurt
• Garlic, ginger and fresh herbs
• Ground black pepper
• Water – at least 2 litres a day. Tap or mineral water is fine. (Squeeze lemon into the water; Lemon helps your body detox)
• Herbal or fruit teas

Foods to avoid during your detox

• Red meat, chicken, turkey and any meat products like sausages, burgers, and pate
• Milk, cheese, eggs, cream
• Butter and margarine
• Any food that contains wheat including bread, croissants, cereals, cakes, biscuits, pies, pastry, quiche, battered or breadcrumbed foods, etc
• Crisps and savoury snacks including salted nuts
• Chocolate, sweets, jam and sugar
• Processed foods, ready meals, ready-made sauces and takeaways
• Alcohol  
• Sauces, pickles, shop bought salad dressing, mayonnaise
• Fizzy drinks and squashes, including diet versions

Detox Plan Breakfasts

• Banana porridge
• Porridge made with water and topped with natural yoghurt, banana, raisins and sweetened with honey.
• Fruit salad with yogurt and oats
• Fresh fruit salad with natural yoghurt and a sprinkling of oats.
• Fresh fruit smoothie
• Fruit smoothie made from fresh fruit and natural yoghurt. NO added sugar is needed as the fruit is already sweet. However, if you really need to put sugar, add some honey.
• Muesli and yoghurt
• Homemade muesli made from oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit served with natural yoghurt.
• Fresh fruit and yoghurt
• Fresh fruit and a pot of natural yoghurt sweetened with honey.

Detox Plan Lunches

• Vegetable soup and oatcakes
• Large bowl of vegetable or lentil soup with oatcakes.
• Tuna and sweetcorn jacket potato and salad
• Jacket potato topped with tuna mixed with sweet corn and natural yoghurt and served with salad.
• Mediterranean salad with rice cakes
• Rice cakes served with rocket, avocado, tomatoes, fresh basil and black pepper. Plus a handful of unsalted nuts.
• Guacamole with crudités
• Homemade guacamole made from avocado, lemon juice, fresh chilli, tomato and garlic served with vegetable crudités and oatcakes.
• Tzatziki with crudités
• Homemade tzatziki made from natural yoghurt, garlic, cucumber and lemon juice served with vegetable crudités and oatcakes.  
• Avocado and prawn salad
• Fresh avocado served with prawns, salad, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
• Jacket potato with grilled cod
• Grilled cod fillet served with jacket potatoes and lightly steamed vegetables.

Detox Plan Dinners

• Chinese vegetable stir fry
• Stir fry a selection of vegetables such as bok choy, spring onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts in a little olive oil with garlic and ginger. Serve with brown rice.
• Baked salmon with jacket potato
• Bake a salmon fillet and serve with a jacket potato and steamed vegetables.  
• Tuna and prawns with noodles
• Gently fry a selection of vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, peppers, courgette and leek in a little olive oil. When lightly browned, add a handful of prawns. Cook for a few minutes, then add canned tomatoes, tomato puree, black pepper and tuna canned in water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice noodles.
• Sweet and sour stir fry with rice
• Gently fry a selection of chopped vegetables such as onions, peppers, baby sweet corn and mushrooms. Add canned pineapple (in fruit juice), canned tomatoes, tomato purée, white wine vinegar and honey. Bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Serve with brown rice.
• Potato and bean casserole
• Gently fry a selection of typical casserole vegetables such as onion, carrots and parsnip in a little olive oil with garlic. When browned, add diced potato and fry for a few minutes. Add fresh vegetable stock, black pepper and your favourite beans. Bring to the boil and simmer until the casserole thickens.

Detox Plan Snacks

• Fresh fruit or fresh fruit salad
• Natural yoghurt mixed with honey
• Plain popcorn
• Handful of unsalted nuts or seeds

Detox diets are meant to cleanse the system and can help you lose weight. Eat right and workout right to achieve that body that you want! Do make smart dining options too when eating out if you want to keep that weight at bay!