Stay Hydrated with 6 Wellness Infusions

Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to take care of yourself on a daily basis. I don’t know about you, but I get really bored drinking plain water day after day. Infusing water is a great way to keep things interesting and enjoy the subtle energies and flavors that come from local herbs and fruits.

I often hear from folks that they forget to drink water. While there are plenty of apps out there to help you remember, I’ve found creating a water infusion is much more supportive. Developing a relationship with drinking water is so important and very easy to do. Once you get going with different flavor combinations you will be amazed that you ever forgot to drink water in the first place!

Contributor: Ashley Neese
Photographer: Ashley Neese

Our bodies contain up to 60% water. Depending on our age and size we can range from 50-75%. Oh and another fun fact, because I am a total geek for this kind of stuff, our hearts are about 75% water! Imagine from a bio-mechanical perspective just how crucial it is to be drinking enough water each day for our bodies to function optimally. Now think about it from an emotional and energetic viewpoint. If our bodies aren’t receiving enough water, how can we truly take care of them and love ourselves? If we are drying out on the inside chances are there are some foundational self care pieces that are missing and we are operating from a deficit on every level.

Oh and if you have children who turn their nose up at drinking water making infusions is a wonderful way to get them involved in the process. Kids love picking out the ingredients and experimenting in the kitchen. Get them started young so they develop self care habits and learn about different herbs and fruits!

Infused waters are beyond easy to make and take all of a few minutes. You can use filtered water, spring water or sparkling water. You can even make them with coconut water from time to time. As always, I encourage you to experiment and infuse your water with what is in season. Infused waters will keep 1 week in the fridge stored in glass.

I typically infuse my water for about an hour and then strain it and keep it in the fridge. If you are having a dinner or gathering you can keep the fruit and herbs in the water to make it look pretty until the event is over. Once strained, I add the berries to smoothies and compost everything else.

To pull the most flavors out of the infusion slightly mash the fruit with a muddler or fork. Use your fingers to squeeze the leaves of the herbs to release some of their potent oils. As with any infusion, the longer it sits, the more flavors will be released. Below I’ve shared some of my favorite flavor combinations. Enjoy!