The Blissful Blueberry

I thought for my first post I would stick to the basics. And what’s more basic than water?

So I try to drink a lot of water, but I get very easily get bored with water, which, of course, makes me want soda–or juice–or chocolate bars. 😉

Maybe part of that is that, as a kid, I lived on Kool-Aid. It was our lifeblood. And that lifeblood continued in college–as a mixer.  A scoop  of delicious colored sugar crystals in water.

My efforts stem from that delicious mix: I found the key to convincing myself to drink more water is to make it a weird design game. What pretty colors can I shove into my water? What odd flavors can I get in there to make it more palatable?

I add in delicious fruits or vegetables–lemons
, oranges, cucumbers. Then I add a dib-dab (as my husband says) of mint or even basil (great with strawberry!) to make it fancy. You can even add honey or some other natural sugar if you like it a little sweeter.

This week, I made the trustworthy orange and lemon mix of one whole lemon sliced and one whole orange sliced into the giant pitcher. I make sure to add more water in when it gets about half full because it can get bitter. (I leave the peels on for extra health benefits!)

I didn’t leave enough room for the fruit on this round and had to suck out some water.  Oh, the horrors of water making.

So why infuse water with citrus fruits, especially lemon? Well, it helps balance your pH levels, which has been known to help combat weight gain (reduces hunger) and fatigue (scent  increases energy); furthermore, lemon can also help with blemishes, kidney function, and even has some function in helping fight cancer. They have tons of antioxidants, so they can help keep skin youthful. That’s my biggest motivator! I’m not a health expert, though.  I just research and test my butt off.

What are some other combinations, you say, besides my basic citrus?

• Well, my husband loves making “sun” tea which steeps in the heat of the sun: green tea + lime or lemon + some garden mint + honey
• My personal favorite: strawberry + basil
• The healthiest: cucumber + lemon + mint
• Next up on my water to-do list: pineapple + lime

What are some of your favorite combinations?