Staying aligned and well-hydrated can help keep you healthy as the seasons change.
With fall approaching, we’ve experienced gyrations in weather, from suddenly getting cold to other days being warm. With each cold spell, Dr. Siow has many more people complaining of headaches or other types of pain.
“Fall has characteristics of cold, dry, rough and light, which can cause our circulating channels to constrict and not flow as smoothly as they should. For some people, their nutrient supply can be blocked, which will cause muscle spasms and muscle tightness. People can find that for no good reason, they can’t turn their neck and move their back,” said Dr. Siow.
When rough—the quality of irritation—is combined with lightness, a feeling of not being as grounded, people can get easily annoyed and or destabilized.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
One of the best healthy habits you can adopt to enjoy good mental and physical health is properly hydrating. Staying well hydrated helps with muscle function, removes toxins, and maintain a certain blood volume so as not to put more strain on the heart.
While drinking plenty of water is a vital healthy habit, you may wonder how much is enough. Dr. Siow recommends you drink 2 cups in the morning, 2 cups in the afternoon and 2 cups in the evening. Then if you drink coffee or tea in between, you’re getting 6-8 cups a day.
Be mindful that if you drink coffee or caffeinated tea, it can cause dehydration. So if you drink a cup of coffee, you should drink 2 cups of water to counter the dehydration.
Wondering if you’re drinking enough water? Here’s an easy way to tell: if your urine is yellow, you need more water, and if it’s straw color, you have good hydration.
Here are some other ways to maximize water’s benefits:
Choose boiled water – There’s a difference between boiled water and water fresh from the tap. Boiled water will be absorbed into the system much more readily than water straight from the tap.
Drink at room temperature – Warm or room temperature water is much better absorbed into the system than ice cold water.
Aid your digestion with herb-infused water – Dr. Siow recommends supporting your digestion with cumin, coriander and fennel (CCF). Boil a pot of water, and put in equal parts, such as a teaspoon or a pinch of each, and put the seeds (not powder) in the water. Once the water has come to a boil, let it steep. You can drink the water warm like tea or just sip it throughout the day.
This herbalized water helps support digestion, opens up channels and eliminates toxins. When the weather gets cold and your channels start to constrict, your toxins aren’t going to be flushed out so readily. That’s why drinking water becomes important.
Keep Your Nervous System Tuned Up
Maintaining health is always a three pronged approach: healthy nervous system, healthy lifestyle and healthy diet. Anytime the weather changes, it has a destabilizing effect on one’s physiology. Then with the holidays approaching and the election climate, there can be a feeling of instability. The good news is that having a healthy nervous system always allows you to ride through the various stresses of life.