Staying hydrated is essential to promoting good digestion and overall health – ideally you should be drinking between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day. If you’re on the go a lot, make sure you take a water bottle with you on your travels to remind you to keep properly hydrated.
To be extra healthy, make it a glass or metal water bottle – plastic water bottles often contain chemicals like dioxin and BPA, which can leech into your water over periods of extended use.
But if water on it’s own tastes a little plain to you, you can punch it up with some of these simple ingredients, all of which aid digestion and overall cleansing.
Try mixing some of these foods together for unique flavor combinations – lime juice and cucumber, for example, or cinnamon and lemon juice!
1. Fresh Mint Leaves
Mint is an herb that’s notoriously easy to grow; you can grow it outdoors or indoors, and it’s delightfully versatile as well as tasty.
Mint promotes digestion by activating digestive enzymes – it’s also known for it’s calming effect, being an ingredient in many “sleepy time” teas. If you’re prone to indigestion, try adding fresh mint leaves to your water.
2. Lime Or Lemon Juice
This natural source of Vitamin C is important – not only does Vitamin C help boost the immune system, it is a natural antioxidant as well.
Try squeezing about half a lemon or lime into your water bottle; if the taste is too sour, you can add a little organic honey to it as well. Limes and lemons help to alkalize and cleanse the body, and are a great digestive aid.
3. Cloves
Cloves are generally believed to have anti-parasitic properties, but did you know they also stimulate and aid in digestion?
Try adding 3 to 5 whole cloves to your bottled water and let it steep for a few minutes before drinking. You can eat the cloves when you’re done drinking, but watch out – they’re spicy!