NIGHT WATER

I've talked about Morning Water and the importance of hydrating as soon as possible upon waking. Let's face it, most of us know this. But did you know that hydrating before you sleep is just as important? Sleep is nothing more than an opportunity for your body and mind to sort through the events of the day and be restored and rested for the activities of the next day. Most of these chemical and neurological functions require water. In researching this important topic for my book, Change Your Life this Year, I discovered that you buy special waters to drink before sleeping - if you earn on a level of the average Hollywood star! Watch this video to discover how to make Night Water for yourself, at a fraction of the cost. It's delicious and contains all the soothing nutrients that help you to relax and enter into a deep sleep.

What would happen to you if you stopped drinking water?

If you’ve been following the sequence of life-changers in my book, Change Your Life this Year, then you know that we only have a few days left in this month in which to try and establish the habit of drinking more water.

Just in case you need some further persuasion, here’s what would happen to your body if you stopped drinking water (or liquids that contain water):

1. The thirst centre is situated in the hypothalamus of the brain and is constantly using sensors in your blood vessels to monitor the amount of sodium and other substances in the body.  If, for example, you sweat a lot your blood volume and blood pressure fall. Your body detects this change and creates the urge to drink something. NOW.  So please, don’t ignore that signal when it comes.

2. If you don’t get water, the first thing you’ll experience is a dry mouth and throat, a feeling of lightheadedness, a decreased ability to feel pain and a slower response time on activities requiring thought.

3. After just 2 days without water, your brain will start to shrink and you’ll experience muscle spasms, nausea, no urine, troubling swallowing and eventually delirium. Many elderly people who appear to be suffering from delirium could simply be dehydrated – so make sure your elderly parent gets enough liquids in every day.

4. If you have not had water for between 3 and 5 days, your blood will stop flowing to skin and will focus on your core. In other words, you will turn greyish-blue.

5. The final step will be that your body will start shutting down its organs and the brain.

Life without water is totally unthinkable and yet, despite the fact that Earth is the blue planet, covered in water, only 1% of that water is actually available to drink. Water is incredibly precious, especially in South Africa, where I come from, so do your bit to use it well and wisely.

SUMMER SALAD VIDEO

As promised here is the video version of the Summer Salad I blogged about a couple of weeks back. I'm currently working on a novel called Cape to Cabernet and the protagonist of this story is an Israeli woman called Ganiet. She refers to this salad quite a few times in the book because it is a staple in the Israeli salad repertoire.

MORNING WATER

"It is life I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things." Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

In my latest book, Change Your Life This Year, one of the life-changers I discuss is the importance of drinking enough water. It's especially important to hydrate as soon as possible after waking because your body and mind have been hard at work all night. While you've been sleeping your body has been repairing itself and getting you ready for this new day. There are lots of toxins that need flushing out and many vital tasks that your body needs to undertake via the medium of water. 

I always add the juice of half a lemon to the water I drink in the morning for good reason. Lemons contain Vitamin C, one of the most important vitamins for combating disease, improving digestion, brightening the skin and boosting the immune system (the addition of lemon can make some people feel nauseous so I advocate sipping, instead of gulping!

Check out my YouTube video MORNING WATER.

I was fascinated to discover that Japanese doctors actually prescribe what is known as the Japanese Water Cure for patients, even those battling dread diseases. The 'cure' consists of nothing more than drinking 4 glasses of room-temperature water on an empty stomach in the morning. Interested? Find out more about the Japanese Water Cure.
Did you know about the Japanese Water Cure? Have you ever heard of anyone being cured of a disease simply by drinking water? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Have a happy day.

MORE THAN A BOOK

The whole point of this blog - and the complementary Youtube channel - is to give my readers the more-than-a-book experience that I so love and appreciate myself. One of my favourite bloggers - Jennifer L. Scott, aka The Daily Connoisseur - is a shining example of this. Not only does she write about, for example, the 10 Item Wardrobe in her books, she also makes videos of her own 10-item seasonal wardrobes and posts them on Youtube. Today I spent a wonderful 8 hours shooting some footage for the videos I am making in support of the first life-changer I discuss in my latest e-book Change your Life this Year. It's all about the importance of drinking more water. I know its basic and I know we've heard it a thousand times before but drinking more water really is the key to better health for you this year. I trust that you'll find the inspiration you need in Change your Life this Year to add this important virtue to your daily life. The videos are not quite ready yet so I thought I'd share a little teaser with you to whet your appetite.

BOOK LAUNCH

So excited about the launch of my latest book, Change Your Life This Year. The title may sounds a bit slick and cheesy, but actually, this book really IS about changing your life. For good. Trust me.

The book contains 12 Life-Changers, one for each month of 2016. As you study, contemplate and practice each one of the Life-Changers you will change, for the good. Some of the Life-Changers will do your physical body good, some will do your mind good, some will do your home good and some will do your eternal spirit good. I'll let you know as soon as its uploaded and ready for purchase.

Have a happy day.