Hi Growing Friend,

I hope your new year started off great and you were able to pick one habit to really focus on last month. It's time to bring on another topic to add to our wellness journey.

This may seem like an obvious one, but I feel like it's something we're all aware of yet probably understand very little about the true why behind it—and that's hydration!

I've always been a big water drinker. I've never liked soda or carbonation of any kind, so my go-to drink is typically water or, if you know me, chocolate milk—ha! I knew water was important, but I didn't understand why or even how to truly be hydrated.

I used to struggle with incredibly chapped lips and dry skin in the winter—miserably so. Now I hardly ever use chapstick (ok, I don't use chapstick at all, for other reasons we can get into another time), but I do love a non-toxic lip oil—shout out Primally Pure! I really think this all goes back to my non-toxic journey in general, but also directly relates to actually getting true hydration.

Here's What I Learned: Plain Water Isn't Enough

Don't get me wrong—you absolutely should still be drinking plenty of water throughout the day! Water is essential. But just drinking plain water actually isn't as hydrating as we once thought. To get the full benefit of all that water you're drinking, we really need salt and minerals to help our body truly absorb and use it. And not table salt—we need real mineral salt.

Here's why: When we drink plain water, it can actually pass right through us without being fully absorbed by our cells. Our cells need electrolytes—primarily sodium, potassium, and magnesium—to pull water into the cell where it's actually needed. Think of minerals as the key that unlocks the door to let water into your cells. Without them, you're just flushing water through your system without getting the full benefit.

The goal isn't to replace your water habit—it's to enhance it by adding minerals daily so your body can actually use all that hydration you're giving it.

The Gut Health Connection

Now here's where it gets really interesting and ties back to everything we've been talking about.

Digestion & Gut Health: Proper hydration with minerals supports your digestive system in multiple ways. First, it helps produce the stomach acid and digestive enzymes needed to break down food. Second, it keeps things moving through your digestive tract, preventing constipation. And third, it helps maintain the mucus lining in your gut that protects against inflammation and supports your good gut bacteria.

Energy: When you're properly hydrated at the cellular level, your body can efficiently transport nutrients and oxygen to your cells. Dehydration—even mild dehydration—makes your heart work harder to pump blood, leaving you feeling fatigued and foggy.

Stress Response: Your adrenal glands (those little glands that manage your stress response) need adequate hydration and minerals to function properly. When you're dehydrated, your body produces more cortisol (your stress hormone), which can create a vicious cycle of stress and dehydration. Minerals like sodium and potassium help balance this system.

Detoxification: Water is essential for flushing toxins through your kidneys and liver. But without proper mineral balance, your cells can't release those toxins effectively. This is especially important as we work to eliminate harmful products from our homes—we need our body's detox pathways working optimally.

The foundation we've been building—removing toxins, supporting gut health, balancing blood sugar—all of it relies on proper hydration at the cellular level.

Start paying attention to your water intake this month and notice how you feel. Are your lips constantly dry? Do you feel tired or are you getting headaches even when you're drinking plenty of water? These could be signs you need minerals, not just more water.

Next month, I'll share the products I love and what I've personally used to help increase my hydration, and I've noticed a huge difference!

Rooted in Wellness & Rising Together,
Erica