H is for Hydration | Veggie Buntch: Vegetarian and vegan recipes ...

After oxygen, water is our most important nutrient. When we are babies our bodies are 90% water, this drops off to around 65 ? 70% for adults. Water keeps us clean, vital and strong. Choosing the best water to drink is as important as choosing the best food to eat.

Non-organic food is loaded with toxic elements in the form of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones or antibiotics and similarly tap water can also be contaminated with these toxic chemicals. It is interesting to realise that your body?s DNA has a sheath of water molecules surrounding it. However your DNA will sooner go thirsty than sheath itself in poor quality water. When your DNA is fed with high quality living water your entire system functions more effectively and energetically.

What you drink becomes your bloodstream in less than five minutes. That?s why fizzy drinks are one of our dubbed ? ?poisons of the palate? because all that sugar and acid gets absorbed directly into your bloodstream almost instantaneously.

These beautiful refined vehicles that we call our bodies are designed to function optimally on the best fuel that nature has already provided to us in abundance: living spring water and water-rich raw plant foods.

WHAT IS THE BEST WATER TO DRINK?
Spring water is the best drinking water. ?Peter and I have been drinking spring water exclusively for the past four years. We?d already been eating raw foods for three years prior to the switch to spring water. Since making the commitment to drink only the best water nature has to offer our health, energy, enthusiasm and the ?flow? of our lives has taken on a whole new meaning. Mother Nature has already sorted out filtration. No gadget can replace the earth?s infinite intelligence. Naturally occurring spring water bubbles up through layers of earth and rock bringing with it minerals as it is filtered. You will be amazed at how this water quenches your thirst ? hydrating your body right down to the DNA and cellular level.

Tip: If you cannot get spring water, remineralise your filtered water by adding to each litre of water:
5 drops of concentrace trace minerals
1/8th teaspoon of Himalayan rock salt
3 tablets of the tissue salt called ?exhaustion combo? or ?general tonic?
Remineralising the water in this way, will nourish and hydrate your body more deeply
?If you are not filtering your water, YOU are the filter!?

WATER FOR WASHING:
When it comes to washing fruit and vegetables, showering and bathing we use filtered water. We had a water filter fitted to our mains water so that? every tap in the house is filtered. You absorb more chlorine lying in a bath than if you would if you were to drink chlorinated water out of a tap all day long. When you bath or shower in non-filtered water your body absorbs the chemicals and toxins directly through your skin.

EATING WATER-RICH FOODS
Here is where the beauty of eating raw foods really starts to reveal itself. When food is cooked most of the water is evaporated and all of the living water is destroyed. When you eat water-rich plant foods in their raw state, your body absorbs and thrives on the water that the plants have absorbed and structured directly from the earth. Fruits and vegetables contain the highest amounts of structured water and your body benefits from these living elements. Saying that water is just H20 is like saying the human body is just a skeleton. All the living elements and minerals create its structure, energy and healing potential.

HOW MUCH WATER TO DRINK?
How much water should you drink is always a question we get asked? Naturally this varies with seasons, exercise etc but the general guideline is no less than one litre. If you are eating predominantly raw food diet and are drinking green juice on a daily basis you will find your need for water is less.

As a guideline:

• Drink 1 ? 2 litres of spring water or remineralised water per day
• Drink 500ml to 1 litre of green juice or green smoothie per day
• Eat as much of your food as raw, plant -based, water-rich foods ? remember, even a?carrot contains 88% water

RECIPES
FUN WAYS TO DRINK WATER

Flavoured waters:? Mass marketed flavoured-waters or vitamin-waters are far from health-enhancing. The best way to flavour your water and enhance its health properties is by way of herbal infusions.

Herbal Infusions
Put 500ml fresh spring water in a bottle or jar and allow to infuse for 3 ? 4 hours with the following combination of ingredients:

• Cinnamon and bay leaves ? ?cinnamon helps balances blood sugar levels and reduce cravings
• Lavender, rosemary and ginger? ? lavender and rosemary are calmatives and ginger acts as?an anti-inflammatory
• Buchu? ? buchu is an overall immune-boosting tonic and diuretic
• Mint and rose geranium? ? mint is a refreshing digestive aid and rose geranium eases tension and anxiety
• Vanilla pod? ? vanilla is high in antioxidants and also acts as a mood enhancer

Camu Camu-nade
This super refreshing drink is a Vitamin C immune booster that tastes like lemonade and is made using the highest vitamin C fruit known! Better than cranberry juice, this drink will knock out bad bacteria, feed your good bacteria and is delicious.

• 1 litre spring water
• 2 tablespoons camu camu powder (highest vitamin C fruit)
• 1 tablespoon baobab powder (a prebiotic that feeds your good bacteria, is high in vitamin C, calcium
• and iron)
• 2-3 tablespoons raw honey (enzyme-rich natural sweetener) juice of 1 lemon (for extra zing)
• Place all the ingredients in a blender, blend and serve on ice

For more on raw food, check out more posts by?Peter and Beryn.

Peter and Beryn are both UK-trained, Raw Food Chefs working towards raising raw food consciousness in South Africa.?For more information about green juicing, raw foods, juicers and healthy living visit?www.rawlicious.co.za. The Rawlicious, recipes for radiant health recipe book has a whole chapter dedicated to juicing and green juicing. The Rawlicious, Elements for radiant health 4-part DVD-course includes juicing demonstrations as well as many other healthy lifestyle recipes, interviews, tips and information.

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