Why Am I SO Dehydrated?

Do you ever feel like things could all be so simple, but we make them so hard?

Lately, I've been yearning for a clean slate; I don't know if it's the time of the year or the pervasive sense of collective distress, uneasiness and confusion, but I've been craving EASY I've been examining my habits through a new lens: if this doesn't feed my happiness or health, how do I ditch it? It either makes me feel alive or it's dead to me. I've been trying to streamline my routines. Adding things I know benefit me and feel good, subtracting sabotaging behaviour. 

How many of you feel similarly - like you're way too oversaturated? Overstimulated? Drowning in information? There are so many articles, quotes, interviews, posts, global crises; so many superfoods and exercises and meditations and healers and crystals and seminars to get through before you will finally be OKAY. We are a generation that seems to be compulsively searching for something. Every time you see a new tip hailed as the secret to wellness, you ask yourself, "wait, do I need this too?!! I need this right???" I NEED THIS TO BE OKAY!!!!!?

It's too much.

We seek answers outside of ourselves because - consciously or subconsciously - we don't think we know enough already. All the wellness pointers can be helpful, but they can also FEED the darkest part of our shadow selves, the part that thinks we don't have any of the answers, the part that prevents us from trusting numero uno and listening to our big, bloody hearts, the part that convinces us we need to seek outside ourselves for help because we are inherently bad or faulty. We need to be ~more~ in order to be worthy of what we deeply want, because we aren't enough.

I'm going to spend the summer taking it back to basics. What are the absolute fundamentals that we need in order to keep our bodies running well? This is what I'm interested in. Not the latest superfood or a fasting diet or fad exercise. No keto guidos here, kids. 

How can we get the essentials in a simple, straightforward way? What are the things that will make a *real* difference ? What actually works?  What will make our health - and our lives - better?

I'm committed to helping you take care of yourself so you can go out there and conquer the world. So you're well enough to support, protest, claim your power and voice, achieve your dreams, change this fucked up place we live in for the better in whatever way lights you up. 

We need you more than ever.

So, let's strip away the fuss and focus on the building blocks of lasting health. If you can master the basics - hydration, proper nutrient intake, sleep, stress management, empowerment and joy - you'll never need another article, book, retreat or recipe. Of course I encourage you to keep learning because curiosity is the most important impulse we have as humans and we must nurture it; but I want your learning to be motivated by a desire to expand your mind and world, not by a deep, haunting fear that you need to be fixed.

With me?

When I was looking for a question to answer for #ASKLAUREN, I knew this one from Sam was perfect for my back to basics crusade.  

"I feel like I drink SO much water... I carry a huge bottle with me during the day, I keep it at my desk and bring it with me in the car, so by the end of the day I know I've had my water quota. But my lips are always chapped, my elbows and arms are so dry, my skin isn't gloss and shine like all the models who claim they get their glow from water.. What am I doing wrong? Should I be drinking even more than 2L daily? Why am I so dehydrated? Help me figure this out!"

Thank you so much for this question, Sam!!! I get asked this all the time and it's so important. Chronic dehydration is so common in the Western world because of our diet and lifestyle choices. Everyone wants to glow like Gisele circa 2002. Everyone wants skin and hair that shines brilliantly like the sun.  We are ~all~ dehydrated, even if we're drinking litres of water! Why?

Let me explain.

What is Hydration + Why Do We Need It?

Every cell in the body needs adequate water, mineral and electrolyte intake in order to survive and thrive. Our bodies are made of up to 60% water. Hydration is essential for healthy skin, nails and hair, and most importantly, well-functioning organs. Proper hydration leads to clean, fluid blood, which can then be easily pumped by the heart to supply our organs with essential oxygen and nutrients, This thin, clean blood is the very basis of health - we need it in order to detoxify well and ensure our bodies are properly oxygenated and running optimally. Chronic dehydration leads to thick, heavy blood making it difficult for the heart to pump this vital supply of nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. Over time, thick blood exhausts the heart and leads to a a slew of dangerous health concerns, including heart attack, stroke, increased risk of cancer, liver and kidney problems, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 

How Do I Know If I'm Hydrated?

Thirst is not a good indicator of hydration. Once you have the impulse, you're already dehydrated. Ask yourself a few questions: Do you consume mostly cooked foods or do you include a plethora of raw fruits and veggies in your diet? How much salt sugar, fat and animal protein do you eat? What about caffeine and alcohol intake? Smoking and recreational drugs? How much exercise do you do?  Do you have a chronic illness or are you battling a bacterial or viral issue? These things all majorly impact your hydration levels. 

Cooked Vs. Raw

Raw fruits and vegetables are incredibly hydrating, whereas cooked foods sap our water reserves because they require hydration in order to be digested. Raw fruits and vegetables are rich in enzymes, minerals, vitamins and electrolytes; most cooked foods lose their water content and nutrient density when they're exposed to heat. So, the easiest way to increase your overall hydration is to increase the amount of raw fruit and veggies you're consuming. I'm not suggesting an all raw diet, but try replacing your morning oatmeal with a smoothie, drink a cold-pressed juice daily, balance a cooked dinner of salmon and rice with a fresh salad. Be more mindful of the ratio of cooked to raw you're ingesting on a daily basis. 

Salt, Sugar, + Fat

All three of these things need plenty of water in order to be processed and eliminated. Trim the amount of sugar, salt, fat and animal products you're eating and you'll quickly improve your hydration levels and increase oxygenation in the body. Keeping your blood clean and fluid is always the goal! Fat, especially, derived from nuts, seeds, oils, or animal products (even a chicken breast!), tanks hydration levels and thickens blood. If you've been running on a high protein/ketogenic diet or even a high-fat vegan diet, chances are you're completely dehydrated and your blood isn't flowing freely. Cut back on the fat, even the healthy types like avocado and almonds. Cut down on the animal protein from dairy, eggs, poultry and meat. Sugar and salt in excess, especially the amounts in processed foods, are never good.  If we buy less packaged and prepared foods and start assembling our own meals, we're already reducing our intake of these two things drastically. Right away, your blood will start to thin and your health will improve.

You Are What You Drink

Caffeine - coming from coffee, tea, and soda - is super dehydrating. Although I'm not a coffee drinker myself (I love it but it makes me craaaaaaaazy like heart about to explode entire body convulsing crazy), I know some people will not, cannot, absolutely refuse to eliminate caffeine from their mornings. That's fine, you gotta live. Just keep it to one cup a day and compensate by actively consuming hydrating beverages and foods throughout the day.  Alcohol is another super dehydrator. You know those mornings you wake up after a long, boozy night thanking the hangover gods because you remembered to put a glass of water on your night stand before bed? You drink it so quickly you waterboard yourself. It's because alcohol sucks the hydration out of your bod. If you're going to drink, you have to rehydrate well. I recommend everyone start each day with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into a glass of hot or cold filtered water upon waking. This works to replenish the body's hydration levels after the overnight fast. I also love cold-pressed juices for amping up hydration, boosting oxygenation of cells and improving nutrient intake: pure celery juice is my morning beverage of choice, but cucumber juice, green juice, or any cold-pressed juice is great. Smoothies are hydrating, too. Of course don't forget filtered water! I generally recommend about 2L daily for everyone, depending on your activity levels, diet and lifestyle choices. If you exercise often, eat little raw foods, drink caffeine and alcohol regularly, smoke or do drugs: you're going to need more water.  I also suggest everyone gets into the habit of infusing their water; adding herbs, fruit or raw honey boosts hydration by shuttling the water into the cells more effectively. Some of my favourite additions are: nettle leaf, lemon balm, schiszandra berries, rosehips, peppermint, thyme, rosemary, lemons, oranges, limes, cucumber, berries, cherries, peaches and raw honey. Coconut water is another hydrating beverage, if you're into that.

Becoming mindful of how hydrated you are and how your lifestyle choices affect your hydration level is the first step to improving your health. A well-hydrated body is more oxygenated, more effective at detoxification and fighting illness, more balanced, and much healthier than a dehydrated bod. 

Focus on the things you already like! If raw fruit is your thing, eat more of it during the day. If you hate water, get creative and infuse a big mason jar with goodies every day before you leave the house. If you love salads or chopped veggies, prep them on Sunday so you have plenty to snack on during the week. Hydrate responsibly and your body will thank you - the glow up is real.