The Holistic Beverage That I Have *Every* Morning (….This Ain’t Your Average Lemon Water, Honey.)

If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know that the whoooooole basis of this blog is focused on the SIMPLE, foundational aspects of health. This may not seem revolutionary, but it makes a big difference in a world where we we constantly hear about '“quick fix” trendy wellness fads that claim to solve alllll of our wellness woes with just one singular “miracle" product (ahem, ahem, looking at you celery juice)… *eye roll*

...but what if instead of constantly looking for quick fixes, we just did the simple things with intention and consistency? With our food choices. With our sleep. With our stress management. Annnnnnnd with our HYDRATION. 

Hydration? Yup.
Because, real talk, I think hydration is one of theeeee most overlooked aspects of health.

Which is why I wanted to share this delicious (and incredibly hydrating) recipe with you today!
Is this one singular drink going to solve alllllllllllllllll your woes? Nope. You’ll have to look to celery juice for that. ;)

But what it will offer you? A consistent and simple staple in your healthy lifestyle. A drink that will provide you quality hydration. A consistent small choice that you can make every day to hydrate you. To provide you with valuable fiber + trace minerals. To support your body’s natural detoxification. A choice to start your day with intention and drink something that will promote health. Not to mention, it’s delicious. Ya ready???

why does this matter?

I take my hydration seriously. Very seriously. Because while we all know that water can impact our physical health, it also has a big impact on our mental health, energy, beauty, and concentration.

• One study found that even just a 1.36% decline in hydration correlated with difficulty in completing tasks, lower concentration, and headache symptoms.

• It has been shown that mild, but chronic, dehydration is correlated with increased body weight.

• Another study found that children who drank 500mL of water performed better in focus and memory tests in the following 30 minutes compared to peers who did not get the 500mL drink of water.

Drinking your water: it’s simple, it’s free, and it makes a huge difference in how alert you’ll feel during the day…and in this post, I am going to share how I upgrade my water ritual with my favorite, (most hydrating) morning bevvie. Just a few simple ingredient additions to your water, and you are going to completely up-level your hydration.

morning water, but upgraded: 

Even before I found this specific recipe, I have allllways been an advocate for chugging a big ol’ glass of water first thing in the AM to rehydrate and help support your detoxification process after sleeping. Basically, while you sleep, your fascia system and lymph system have accumulated waste products—and drinking water first thing in the morning can help 1) rehydrate you, and 2) support this detoxification process to remove bodily waste effectively.

So while I was already consistently having a big glass of water first thing in the AM, I had no idea that I could upgrade my morning h2o until I found this super simple (and SUPER hydrating) morning water recipe. This simple drink is packed with trace minerals, electrolytes, and fiber that keeps me sustainably hydrated (much more effectively than just plain water would do). 

First things first: I did NOT invent this recipe. It was created by the brilliant Dr. Dana Cohen, a functional medicine doctor based out of NYC who has revolutionized modern hydration. If you want more information on this drink and how to optimize your hydration, I highly recommend her book Quench. This book blew. me. away.

Naively, I already kind of thought I knew everything there was to know about hydration: drink a lot of water, carry a refillable bottle, avoid dehydrating things like caffeine and alcohol, yada yada yada… But! Turns out hydration is not just about guzzling liters of water—there are a few simple hacks that will completely shift and maximize your hydration. If you’re ready to up-level your health, mental clarity, and wellness, I couldn’t recommend this book any more highly!

I tried this recipe after reading the book, and whoa. I noticed an instant shift in my digestion, hunger, and energy levels. The reason I love this morning elixir is because every ingredient is so. intentional. Each item serves a purpose and works symbiotically with the others to boost each ingredient’s positive impact. The result? An incredibly hydrating way to start your day. 

So, if you’re just having plain ol’ water first thing in the AM—you go, girl! I approve!

...but if you want to take it to the next level, consider adding just a few extra ingredients and you can completely upgrade your morning glass of water. 

morning lemon water and chia seeds recipe

the recipe: my super-hydrating morning elixir

Ingredients: 

• 12-16 oz of water (I use warm water, but use whatever temp preference you have!) 

• A pinch of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

• Approx. 1 tbsp of lemon juice, seeds strained out (I squeeze about 1/3 of the lemon)

• Approx. 0.5 - 1 tsp of chia seeds

Instructions:

• Mix all the ingredients together in your glass. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chia seeds have formed a gel, annnnnd drink up!

• I always drink this from my Weck jar with a stainless steel straw (the straw protects your teeth from the acidic lemon annnnnd allows you to stir up the chia seeds as you drink!). 

• NOTE: This recipe is sooo customizable. Add some herbs, use less salt, more salt, throw in a splash of apple cider vinegar, some honey, maybe some more lemon, less lemon, hot water, cold water—whatever works for YOU. The point is that you tweak it until you find a ratio and regimen that you will stick with! 
  
  
  

super hydrating morning lemon water with chia seeds recipe (graphic credit: Olivia Herrick Design)

for all my fellow nerds out there…
let’s break down what exactly makes this drink so special:

#1: ch-ch-ch-chia seeds 

Drinking liquids isn't the only way to stay hydrated. Did you know that you typically get about 20% of your water each day from food? 

Water content varies from food to food, but in general, there are benefits to taking in water through food. It gets absorbed more slowly due to the fiber and other nutrients and electrolytes that come with it. This means that the water will not just "flush through," but that it can be absorbed easily into our cells and will stay in our system for long enough to be put to good use. For example, a few water-rich foods include: watermelon (92% water), cucumber (85%), lettuce (96%),  etc. Not only do you get the benefits of hydration, but this water is absorbed more steadily throughout the body thanks to the fiber and other micronutrients present with the water molecule. Which brings me to… *drum roll plz*

A few super powers of chia seeds: 

• A food that is super hydrating? CHIA SEEDS. These small-but-mighty seeds absorb water quickly and can take in up to 10 times their weight in liquid, creating a gel-like texture that allows you to absorb that water steadily and maximize your absorption of the h2o. :)

• FIBER. With over 10g in 2 tablespoons, these little seeds are jam-packed with fiber (specifically soluble fiber, which helps you feel full, helps with digestion, and helps you absorb the water more sloooowly) allowing for a continuous absorption of the water for hours after drinking it.

• Chia seeds can be so helpful for digestion and can help improve your bowel movements.

• They serve as a great source of antioxidants which help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals in the body.

• They’re a good source of several minerals, such as calcium, phosphorous, zinc, and copper.

• Anti-inflammatory! Get this: once study done with diabetic patients showed that eating 37g of chia seeds every day reduced CRP inflammatory markers by 40%. 

• The seed itself is a complete protein and one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

I consider these little seeds CRUCIAL ingredient in this drink. A small seed that has a BIG impact. As with everything, don’t go 0 to 100. Start with just a little bit and work up as tolerated. Remember, there is a LOT of fiber in these little seeds so don’t go overboard until you know how your body tolerates it! 

#2: lemon

We have all heard of adding lemon to our water for flavor, but there’s more to it! Lemons contain pectin (AKA that thing that makes jams gel… which results in another source of gel water) and contain natural electrolytes. These extra minerals help quench your thirst more than just plain water alone. There’s calcium, potassium, magnesium...these minerals and lytes help regulate how the water is transferred into the cell. Not to mention, lemons can help decrease inflammation, regulate pH, and boost immunity (one lemon has over 139% of your daily vitamin C).

#3: and a sprinkle of natural salt 

Something you may or may not not know: not all salts are created equal (looking at you, classic salt shaker!). It turns out that common table salt (AKA highly processed salt) ends up being just straight up sodium by the time they end up processing it, making it quite dehydrating… while natural sea salt, Himalayan salt, or Celtic salt are actually HYDRATING thanks to all the trace minerals they contain that don’t get processed out. They can help pull hydration into cells by providing necessary trace minerals (without swelling or bloating).

Natural, minimally processed salts play a crucial role in hydration: beyond sodium, they contain trace minerals like iodine, iron, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Which is why adding the tiniest pinch of salt to your water can be game changing for how much water you’ll actually end up absorbing, not just flushing through.

to wrap it up

Mmmmm, my morning lemon drink. So simple, yet so impactful. I am truly not blowing smoke—I notice a tangible difference in energy, hunger, and digestion on the days that I skip out on this super hydrating drink. Is this subjective, anecdotal evidence? Totally. Remember, this is my personal experience.

But maybe you’ll find out you have your own personal experience that your body completely jives with this all-natural, hydrating, detoxifying drink. The great thing about using food as fuel is that you can go off how it makes your body feel. I mean, this is a pretty low-stakes game—if you don’t feel anything when you drink this…welp. Nothing gained, nothing lost. But! If it’s as changing for you as it’s been for me, then it’s a total win! It’s so simple, so affordable, and truly so impactful. Just give it a try. :) You have literally nothing to lose (except spending a few bucks on chia seeds, ha!).

but don’t just take it from me… *wink*

Is this drink a “quick fix” trendy drink? Nope. Because that’s not the way we do things here on The Foundation Blog.

Because my approach to wellness? It’s not about a singular “miracle fix.” It’s a consistent and intentional commitment to small choices every day. Just like this drink—a simple habit that, when done consistently, supports your body’s hydration, detoxification, and natural processes. It’s a small choice that you can make every morning to start your day with intention and show your body respect.

And that is not a quick fix—that’s one mini step in creating a health lifestyle.
Cheers!

want more holistic food goodness?