One of the most common pieces of advice given to those grieving is to stay hydrated. While this advice is well-intentioned, many people may not fully understand the importance of proper hydration or how to achieve it effectively, especially during times of emotional turmoil.
The Importance of Good Hydration During Grief
Dehydration can worsen feelings of fatigue, confusion, and anxiety – common symptoms experienced in grief. Staying well-hydrated not only promotes mental clarity (think brain fog!) but also boosts energy levels, uplifts mood, and supports overall well-being during this challenging journey.
However, dehydration in grief can result from more than just forgetting to drink water. Factors such as crying, diarrhea, vomiting, consumption of caffeinated drinks or alcohol, and excessive sweating or peeing can all contribute to dehydration. But, even more importantly, they can lead to a loss of vital electrolytes.
Balancing Electrolytes to Manage Grief-Related Symptoms
Electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, play a crucial role in regulating bodily functions, particularly during times of grief. They are essential for nerve signalling, muscle function, and maintaining proper fluid balance. Understanding the specific connection between magnesium and grief in particular can provide valuable insights into managing ‘grief’ symptoms more effectively.
For more on this, follow this link to my blog on magnesium.
Warm or Cold Drinks - That's The Big Question!
Drinking anything cold constricts blood vessels and diverts blood away from your stomach. Just think of what it feels like to down a glass of iced tea or chilled beer! Cold drinks douse your digestive fire, i.e., your stomach acid, and without adequate levels of stomach acid, the food you have just eaten simply sits in the stomach and starts to rot – something we want to absolutely avoid.
Whereas sipping warm liquids such as herbal teas throughout the day 'keeps the fire burning' AND ensures that your body doesn't get dehydrated.
9 Tips for Upping Your Fluid Intake
So, what can we do to make sure we consume around 2 liters of fluids every day? Well, here are 9 tips on how you can keep your hydration levels in tip-top shape:
Morning Routine:
1. Have a Coconut Water – Banana Smoothie for breakfast. Bananas are rich in potassium, while coconut water is an excellent source of essential electrolytes that help maintain proper water balance in the body. You can find the recipe in my free 'Store Cupboard Essentials' eBook, downloadable from my website.
2. Make preparing a flask of hot water or herbal tea part of your morning routine.
Throughout the Day:
3. Take your flask with you to work and sip from it whenever you don't need to talk or move about.
4. Take a flask with you when you are going out and might not have access to warm drinks.
Meal Times:
5. Drink a tall glass of room temperature water with a wedge of lime and a pinch of rock salt 30 minutes before a meal. Salt helps to retain water, while the sour taste helps with the production of saliva and other digestive juices needed to break down food properly.
6. Eat a good-sized bowl of soup once a day. It also counts as a liquid.
Coffee:
7. Find a good alternative to coffee or black tea, which are diuretics and therefore dehydrating. Fresh ginger tea with a bit of lemon juice can be a soothing option.
8. Always drink coffee with a glass of water at room temperature to replenish any loss of water.
9. Have a warm cocoa drink made with almond milk as a healthy pick-me-up in the afternoon (instead of coffee).
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