H2 Oh Boy! 11 Benefits of Drinking Water

Back again with an update. For the past few days I've noticed that I've become increasingly thirsty. I found this odd seeing as how I spend my days drinking fresh juice all day. Where would my body find the time to be thirsty and need EXTRA water? I mean aren't fruits and veggies composed of mostly water anyway? I convinced myself that this was a side effect of fasting and quickly gulped down a quart of water to alleviate the feeling of thirst.

Then, out of sheer curiosity, I decided to further research why water is such an amazing element. Yeah, yeah, yeah!!!! We know it aids with alleviating dehydration and cooling us down on a hot summers day but it goes far beyond that.

Let's first take a look at the body. Muscle consists of 75% water, brain consists of 90% water, bone consists of 22% water, blood consists of 83% water. Simply put, the human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on body size. Basically, water rules. It's what we're made up of so it's important to replenish it. Our tissues and organs are mostly water as well.

Water's main functions:

*Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
*Moisturizes the air in lungs
*Helps with metabolism
*Protects our vital organs
*Helps our organs to absorb nutrients better
*Regulates body temperature
*Detoxifies
*Protects and moisturizes our joints

We need water from head to toe. Remember the brain is 90% water and if it doesn't get the water it needs and deserves, you'll suffer lack of concentration and migraine headaches. Instead of popping a pill, have a couple of glasses of water first and then see how you feel.

Now let's drink the benefits!

1) Lose weight: Who doesn't like this! Drinking water hels with weight loss because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown.
2) Natural remedy for a Headache: And you already know why :-)
3) Younger looking skin
4) Better productivity: Don't just stand around the water cooler! Have a few cups full with your gossip!
5) Better exercise
6) Aids digestion and constipation
7) Less cramps and sprains
8) Less likely to get sick
9) Relieves fatigue
10) Good mood
11) Reduce the risks of cancer

So drink to your health! You'll be the better for it!


For more information visit: http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html

Day 8 ----- Juicing for Optimal Health

We have a second blog!!!! Yay!!!! These posts are to document our juicing journey and health benefits from not only owning but using our juicers daily. For the next 32 days (minus the 8 days that have already lapsed) we (Racquel and Ashley) will chronicle our progress, highs and lows, and weight loss right here and on our Facebook page [GoddessNectar]. 

Just a quick update, so far Racquel and I have lost approximately 23lbs between us and are getting over the first hump. 

Basically a juicing journey is a detox of sorts. An opportunity for your body to cleanse itself of fish dinners,  Domino's, Big Macs, and other overly processed foods. The digestive system is given an opportunity to rest so that the body can heal itself from the damage its owner has done to it. No need to wince, we've all done a little bodily damage. Juicing is all about damage control. 

So you're probably thinking.... What? You don't eat for 32 days? Gimme a break! 

Look at it this way, you've been eating all of your life. Don't you think your body deserves a resting period? 

When your body is constantly digesting food, it isn't given the opportunity to heal itself properly because it's always working to break down foods it was never meant to break down in the first place. But I digress. 

Since, my fast started, I've already gone through my first cleansing crisis which is basically when you're on a juice fast and chronic conditions or reoccurring conditions rear their heads during your fast. Anything you've suffered from in the past or present will arise and take over. This is your body working overtime to get rid of it. It could be arthritis, acne, eczema, sinus problems. In my case it was the latter and I had a very bad cold for a few days. If you don't know, summer colds are the worst! But the secret is, the worse the crisis the better you feel when it passes. I didn't think this would be true but it actually is. I've never been clearer. Anyway, that's where we are now. 

Oh yeah one more thing, when you realize how many fruits and veggies it takes to make just one quart of juice you'll see why juicing is so efficient for achieving optimal health. Example: This morning I made my usual grapefruit/valencia/lime juice and a carrot/pear juice. To make it I need THREE grapefruits, THREE valencia oranges and a lime. I couldn't eat all of that in a sitting if I tried. But juicing it extracts all of the nutrients so that you can benefit completely from everything that that food has to offer. And for the carrot/pear juice took about EIGHT carrots and four pears (a lemon to maintain the vibrant color).

I could juice talk all day but I'll leave you with a tip (in case you've considered trying a short or long juice fast). Don't try fasting on shelved juices. For one, they're dead. They've been cooked to lengthen their shelf life. YES even NAKED juices (which I love). The fresher the juice the better the results. And two, they're simply blended foods not actually juices so your body is still working to digest them. Just some "food" for thought :-) 

Have a super duper Monday, everyone..... 

And make sure to follow us on Facebook and Blogspot.

Here's to your health,

Ashley