Water is an element associated with the second chakra. Water flows, it is changeable, it is powerful. The water of the second chakra manifests on the physical level as sexual fluids, menstrual fluids, urine. On the emotional level, the second chakra water element relates to our emotions, our creativity, our ability to flow with the vicissitudes of life. Getting into the relaxed flow of summer is easier when we're hydrated and feeling refreshed with cool drinks. Cool is good, but iced drinks actually put out the digestive fire making it harder to digest your foods. And did you know that the body more readily absorbs fluids during the morning hours? So several glasses of water and other non-caffeinated fluids in the morning, plus a glass 30 minutes before each meal will serve you well. That's the minimum you want to drink :) |
You may have heard that it's important to drink lots of water. Precisely, take half your weight in pounds and convert it to ounces of water. Really? Who wants to drink that much water every day? Here's the good news! Some people who have a naturally heavy constitution (kapha) need less water, actually only about 4-6 glasses per day. On the other hand, the rest of us need to try to follow the guideline I just mentioned. BUT here's more good news! It doesn't always have to be plain water. In summer we can drink cold herbal teas, fruit shrubs (say what? recipe link below), honey-base fruit syrups with soda water, kombucha, water kefir and basically any liquid that doesn't contain caffeine, refined sugar, or artificial sweeteners, flavourings or colours. So that rules out pop, energy drinks, commercial fruit drinks and probably a few other things. If you find that your drink is too warm, add just enough ice until all the ice melts. It will be cool but not cold enough to dampen your digestive strength.
By the way, here's a great link for fruit shrubs https://food52.com/blog/13831-how-to-make-shrubs-aka-drinking-vinegars-without-a-recipe
We can also actually eat some of that water. You can meet up to 20% of your water needs with summer fruits and vegetables. The most water-packed vegetable choices are cucumber, zucchini, sweet peppers, celery, cauliflower, lettuce (especially iceberg), raw spinach, raw carrots, tomatoes (well that's a fruit actually). Imagine the cold summer soups you could make with those ingredients? And for fruits there's berries especially strawberries, pineapple, and all the melons: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, ripe peaches, mango and oranges, and later this season we'll have pears and apples.
So get your second chakra flow on this summer by embracing the water element both inside and out -- swim in the ocean, the lake and the river; take cool showers; hydrate with delicious drinks, sweet fruits and watery vegetables.
I'd love for you to join my private Facebook group: Sandra Briand, Food Yoga Soul. Lots happening there. Come one over. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1677768672492740/
By the way, here's a great link for fruit shrubs https://food52.com/blog/13831-how-to-make-shrubs-aka-drinking-vinegars-without-a-recipe
We can also actually eat some of that water. You can meet up to 20% of your water needs with summer fruits and vegetables. The most water-packed vegetable choices are cucumber, zucchini, sweet peppers, celery, cauliflower, lettuce (especially iceberg), raw spinach, raw carrots, tomatoes (well that's a fruit actually). Imagine the cold summer soups you could make with those ingredients? And for fruits there's berries especially strawberries, pineapple, and all the melons: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, ripe peaches, mango and oranges, and later this season we'll have pears and apples.
So get your second chakra flow on this summer by embracing the water element both inside and out -- swim in the ocean, the lake and the river; take cool showers; hydrate with delicious drinks, sweet fruits and watery vegetables.
I'd love for you to join my private Facebook group: Sandra Briand, Food Yoga Soul. Lots happening there. Come one over. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1677768672492740/