In my other article on this subject I outlined why drinking water is immensely important for good health, productivity, and even sexual function, and why so many men don’t drink water correctly or at all. The immediate pragmatic question is how to drink water correctly. And another one is why an article on the website of a holistic independent companion, masseuse, and coach for men should have the most correct answers in the world when there’s so much information from far more reputable sources in the world. Well, the answers in this article make solid common sense and have roots in ancient medical teachings that have healed civilisations for thousands of years and are gaining popularity in the West again.
Don’t drink sweet drinks instead of water even though they’re liquid.
Manufacturers of sweet beverages lead us to regularly buy more. Nothing else interests them. And if many of us were to manufacture a soft drink, they’d also want profit first. The interest of manufacturers of sweet beverages is that their beverages be irresistible and people want more. This means that the beverages must be appealing, sweet and thus become nutritionally dangerous. All soft sweet drinks have two things in common:
- they’re addictive
- they fatten and dehydrate instead of nourishing.
It is therefore best not to drink them at all. Instead drink still mineral water or tap water if you’re in a country where drinking tap water is safe. You can always filter it. You have the option of sweetening water with artificial sweeteners (that have few calories). But it’s also better not to do so. One reason is that the word artificial suggests that you’d drink chemicals. Secondly, craving the sweet taste is a matter of habit just like drinking plain water.
Overcome objections to drinking water
Many men protest that they can’t drink water because x, y, z or because it tastes horribly. Of course this is so if they’re used to drinks full of sugar, chemicals, caffeine, or alcohol! Don’t defy, just find a way to replace caffeine, alcohol, and sugary chemical drinks with water. Because what you put into your body becomes you. Albeit you won’t enjoy drinking water at first, get through it. You can flavour water with drops of lemon, lime or mint leaves. Or try herbal teas. They contain little caffeine, have flavour, heal, and can be drunk warm or cold. Your taste will change over time and you won’t crave chemical drinks.
Another frequent reason why men don’t want to drink water is that they would frequently urinate. While this would be true if they drank more water than their bodies need, they will urinate even more from caffeinated, chemical, and alcoholic drinks! Because those drinks are diuretic and therefore dehydrate. Secondly these men need to decide whether they want long-term health and sexappeal or long-term illness. Think through the pros and cons and find willingness to integrate drinking water into life.
Drinking water instead of sugary or chemical drinks will keep the stomach fuller. You won’t crave sweet and salty foods unless your body is deficient in sugar or salt. A well hydrated person simply isn’t very hungry and thus will feel satisfied by smaller portions of food. Another beautiful thing which will happen over time is that the body will adjust to the new program and ask for water instead of chemical drinks. That will be a litmus test that you’re on the right track. And the frequency of urination will also correct itself over time.
Make a habit of drinking water
Many men quickly present objections to drinking water. But objecting won’t bring them fitness, energy, and sexappeal. If you are used to sugary or caffeinated drinks, you naturally won’t like tasteless water. But the fact that these concoctions taste so good doesn’t mean that drinking them will give you health.
Drinking plain water is a matter of habit. Some readers may now protest that they won’t ever let anyone tamper with their favourite drink, or that they absolutely must have water sparkling. That’s also a matter of habit. These readers’ dependence on sparkling water is only a psychological addiction that manufacturers of these drinks instil. The gas in sparkling water is also bad for the body. The sooner you cut sweet and sparkling drinks out of life, the sooner you’ll find that it is perfectly possible to drink water. And also that after some time you won’t miss sweet or carbonated drinks at all.
Especially at the beginning it’s natural that you won’t want to drink water often. Start by taking one sip after every 2 mouthfuls of solid food. This way you (or anyone) will partially overcome the tasteless nature of water. If you like the taste of herbal teas, you can also drink them when thirsty between meals – plus benefit from the vast variety of their flavours. If you don’t like herbal teas, try the first cup of one of a flavour that sounds good to you. You can embellish it with brown sugar and a few drops of juice of the fruit of lemon or lime.
So how to drink water correctly?
- Drink water between meals only when you are thirsty. Don’t abuse natural urges. Don’t drink gallons of water because you hear that drinking gallons of water is good. It is not good. Listen to your body.
- A glass of warm water after getting up activates the internal organs.
- One sip of lukewarm water after every 2 mouthfuls of solid food helps digestion.
- And a glass of warm cow’s milk blended with 5 whole soaked almonds, 2 dates, and a pinch or cardamom powder before sleep induces sleep and nourishes the body.
- Do not drink when you’re hungry, and do not eat when you’re thirsty.
Never drink ice cold water because it is heavy on the stomach, shocks the system, weakens the digestive fire, and therefore impairs digestion. Especially obese people usually hate warm water, but warm water is exactly what they should drink to keep the digestive fire strong to digest and absorb food. It is also true that since warm water is light on the stomach, it’s easy to drink. Try it! A wonderful drink for burning fat and curing emotional hunger is a glass of warm water with 10 drops of lime juice and a teaspoon of honey.
Is drinking water more easily said than done?
Satisfy your biological needs first. Only then can you satisfy the world. Old habits can die just as easily as new habits can arise when one believes that something will be right for him. If drinking water instead of caffein, chemicals, or alcohol isn’t your habit, this article can be the turning point if it makes sense to you. Even old dogs learn new tricks. If you keep treating it with unhealthy habits, how will your body serve you in 20 years? Of course, not everyone can build new habits alone! But there’s help, and I can give it to you!