On (Not) Loving Water

About author / Victoria Wesseler

Healthy eating advocate; master gardener; local food expert. Even veggie haters love her recipes.

With the heat of summer upon us, I thought I would write something about the benefits of drinking water. You know…how we all should drink at least 8 glasses a day… what its many benefits are to our bodies…and so on. The problem is-- I don’t like to drink water. I would love to tell you that I happily down the stuff on a regular basis; but those of you who know me personally and read this column would know I was lying and call me on it. So, I confess, it takes a lot of motivation and some enhancements to get me to drink water.

Several years ago I had a brush with mild dehydration while spending a week in Houston during the summer. I nearly passed out at the Houston Airport after five days in the sweltering Houston heat where I neglected to drink enough water to keep me properly hydrated. As I entered the airport terminal, I felt weak and dizzy. The room began to spin. Somewhere in the back of my mind I recalled an article that I had read on the plane ride over that described the symptoms of dehydration. I somehow made it to a nearby magazine shop, bought two bottles of water and drank them. Within 30 minutes I was feeling a bit better. However dramatic that experience, its lesson had a short staying power with me and I still tend to stray from good water drinking habits.

So, I thought now would be a good time to re-educate myself about the benefits of drinking water. And I thought it might be fun to see how I could enhance the water to tempt me to drink it. But, first the facts.

Our bodies are 60% water and H2O is involved in a number of life sustaining processes including lubricating our joints, moistening the tissues in our eyes, mouth and nose, regulating body temperature and forming the basis for all body fluids such as blood. Even mild dehydration, like I experienced in Houston, can cause weakness, dizziness and fatigue.

While dehydration is a complex medical issue, there are some things we can do to prevent it. Most adults lose 10 cups of water a day just through the normal functions of breathing, eliminating and sweating. That fluid has to be replaced. It is estimated that our food contains 20% of our fluid intake per day so we have to replace the remaining 8 cups. And if you exercise or work outdoors, you may need to take in more. The Institute for Medicine now recommends that women take in 9 cups of liquid a day and that men take in 13. Coffee, tea and other fluids such as milk, juice and thin soup do count as part of this total. But remember that coffee, tea and some soft drinks contain caffeine which may have a diuretic effect and cause you to lose water.

Staying properly hydrated is all about balancing your fluid intake with your fluid output. Just as not having enough fluids can compromise your system, taking in too much fluid is also dangerous and can lead to a condition called hyponatremia which is a potentially fatal condition where your blood sodium becomes dangerously low. The amount of fluids you should consume daily depends on your age, physical condition, activity level, environment and specific health status. As with other health issues, talk to your doctor about the right amount of fluid intake to support your unique circumstances and lifestyle.

Now the fun. I thought if I could get the water to taste a bit, well, less neutral, I guess, then I would have a better chance of enjoying it. And if I enjoyed it, I might just start to drink more of it on a regular basis. I needed to find something to add to it that was healthy, didn’t add any sugar or sugar substitutes, was nearly calorie free and very tasty.

So I went out in search of things to add to the water. I found a pot of Kentucky Colonel Mint on the patio. Next I headed to the fridge where I had lemons, limes, an orange and some apples. A trip to the grocery store produced minature English cucumbers, cantelope and pink grapefruit. I just started combining ingredients and drinking away!

I’ve listed below some of the ones I really enjoyed. All were made using a quart of filtered water and no ice, along with the enhancements which I allowed to steep in the water for 4 hours before they were removed from the pitcher. None of the fruits or vegetables were crushed or juiced. They were just sliced or cut up and immediately added to the water. I didn’t chill the water, preferring to drink it at room temperature. But all of these flavored waters could be chilled or served over ice.

• Three slices lime and a miniature English cumcumber cut in half
• Four slices navel orange
• Four slices lemon with 4 large mint leaves, slightly crushed
• Four slices pink grapefruit
• Four slices pink grapefruit with 4 large mint leaves, slightly crushed
• Two small slices cantelope

My favorite, by far, were my more creative adaptations of the classic Pimm’s Cup cocktail and Sangria. I actually began to look forward to drinking the water during these experiments and I am now easily getting in 8 glasses a day.

I would love to hear if you have any favorite flavored water combinations to share. In the meantime, stay hydrated!

Serves/Makes: 4

• 1 quart filtered water
• 4 slices lemon
• 4 slices orange
• 4 slices lime
• 1 ripe peach, cut into quarters
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

Serves/Makes: 4

• 1 quart filtered water
• 4 slices lemon
• 4 slices orange
• 4 slices tart apple (such as Granny Smith)
• 1 miniature English cucumber, cut in half
• OR
• 1/8 cup freshly picked borage flowers
• 4 large mint leaves, slightly crushed