Fruit Infused Water
Fruit-infused water is a great alternative for individuals looking to cut out sugary drinks and soda from their diet. Drinking water is über important to our overall health and especially important to our fertility!
First, let's talk about water and your fertility.
Water helps to flush excess toxins out of the body. These extra toxins can cause hormonal imbalances and affect egg and sperm quality. Not drinking enough water can also affect circulation in the body, which is needed to create a safe and healthy womb for conception.
In women, dehydration can also affect the production and quality of cervical mucus (CM). Healthy cervical fluid is necessary in order to ensure that the sperm can survive as they are traveling to meet the egg. Adequate water intake will enhance your production of CM and therefore give you a better shot at conceiving.
In men, dehydration can affect the overall semen production as well as the quality of the sperm. In order for the sperm to travel safely through the cervix of a woman, semen must be present. The acidic environment of the vagina can be toxic to sperm, but with healthy quality seminal fluid (and CM for the woman), semen acts as a buffer to balance the pH. Both semen and CM are alkaline.
Water, as you know, is not only ideal for fertility, but it is necessary for your overall health and wellness. Here are some other roles that adequate water consumption is important:
regulating metabolism
aiding in digestion
transporting oxygen to our cells
transporting and assimilating nutrients
excreting waste and toxins from the body
regulation of hormones
cognitive performance and mood stabilizer
weight management
And SO much more...
So why fruit-infused?
As I mentioned before, many people have trouble transitioning from drinking sugary drinks and soda to just drinking water. And, believe it or not, some people even "hate" water. They don't like the taste.
Infusing water with fresh fruit, veggies, and herbs will not only increase the amount of nutrients that you are consuming throughout the day, but it will also make your taste buds a little happier (especially if you don't like drinking water!)
You can find a TON of free recipes on the internet, but here are a few to get you started.
What do I need to make fruit-infused water?
Not much! :)
First, decide if you are going to make water for when you are on-the-go, or if you want a large water pitcher for your refrigerator. You can use ball jars or fancy drink dispensers, or you can purchase special water bottles and pitchers that have been specifically created for creating fruit infusions.
It's totally up to you.
After you've picked out your method for storing the fruit-infused water, all you need to do is pick out a recipe and purchase your ingredients.
How much fruit-infused water should I drink?
You want to drink at least 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 120 lbs, you should aim for consuming 60 ounces of water, on average, per day. That can be plain water or all water that has been infused with fruit, veggies, and herbs. Your choice!
Happy infusing!
Resources:
- Brannigan, R, Lipshultz, L, Glob. Libr. women's med., (ISSN: 1756-2228) 2008; DOI 10.3843/GLOWM.10316
-How Much Water To Drink On A Daily Basis? (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2016, from http://www.fertility-health.com/how-much-water-to-drink.html
-Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, Hydration, and Health. Nutrition reviews. 2010;68(8):439-458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x.