Wonders of Water

Most of us are aware of the importance of drinking enough water. Water keeps our skin clear and hydrated, cleanses our organs and tissues and helps create the synovial fluid in our joints, our digestive juices and the blood-brain barrier. Think about your sinuses, your lungs, your eyes and other moist surface in your body. Water is vital. Even with this understanding, it can still be challenging to drink all the water our bodies deserve daily. In the summer, when our activity and sweat levels increase, it's especially important to pay close attention to our water intake. Signs of dehydration include headaches, fatigue, cravings, dark colored urine, increased heart rate or respiration, decreased sweating, muscle cramps, nausea, tingling of the limbs and even the chills. In case you missed it last month, be sure to check out Your Body's Many Cries for Water and the Water Cure.

To help you start your day right, set a large glass of water on your night stand before you go to sleep and drink it as soon as you climb out of bed. When the first thing that flows through your body each morning is water, it pulls out toxins left over from the previous day and gives you a jump start on hydration. Try to drink most of your water during the first half of the day so you don't need to drink before bed and disturb a peaceful night's sleep to use the bathroom. Make sure you bring a water bottle with you when you work or play so you have access to water throughout the day. Having one close by will remind you to drink when you're thirsty. The first sip will usually let you know how much more water you need. A sip or two may be enough, or you may need a big glass.

To jazz up your water, try adding a few mint leaves, a wedge of lemon, a sprig of parsley, slices of cucumber, a twist of lime or a squeeze of orange. Also, drinking herbal tea or juice and eating raw fruits and vegetables contribute to the hydration process. In last month's issue I gave you a smoothie recipe that you may wish to check out if you haven't already. So how much water do you drink? Dr. Batmanghelidj recommends half your weight in ounces each day. Drink up!

Summer Smoothies

Looking for something refreshing and hydrating that's not water? How does a seasonal berry smoothie sound to you? Smoothies can be a great way to alkalize and hydrate the body. They can be a great breakfast, post workout snack or even dessert! You can create fruit smoothies, vegetable smoothies or an interesting combination of the two. Personally, I love smoothies for breakfast this time of year. You just need to make sure you have a protein and fat source in them so you're not hungry in an hour. In addition, the protein and fat helps to slow down how quickly your body processes the sugars in the fruit. There are a variety of protein and fat sources that you can use including whole fat yogurt, whey powder, pea powder or hemp powder. I sometimes like to use a raw egg yolk, but I purchase my eggs from a trusted source and I don't consume the white raw as it's indigestible. I've also tossed cooked beans or quinoa into my smoothie for added protein. Some great fat sources include Omega-3 rich flax seed oil, coconut oil, coconut butter, avocado, kefir, almond butter or raw, soaked nuts. For extra minerals, I like to use an organic "greens" powder. I've also been known to throw some kale, spinach or lettuce leaves in my blender.

When they are in season, you can't beat fresh berries in your smoothie. To enjoy them longer, I will purchase a flat of blueberries, strawberries and cherries from the farmers market when they are in season and then freeze them. It's best to wash them and freeze them on cookie sheets before placing them in ziploc bags or whatever containers you like to use. Another tip is that when your bananas start to over-ripen, cut them up and freeze them for smoothies or frozen desserts. By using frozen fruit, you can skip the ice. Just add some water or almond milk to thin your concoction a bit.

Sounds pretty tasty and easy, right? Try one of the refreshing recipes below and let me know what you think!

Peachy Almond Surprise Smoothie

Source: The Ultimate Smoothie Book by Cherie Calbom

• 1 cup nut milk (or coconut or whole milk)
• 2 – 3 peaches (can also use frozen)
• 1 – 2 TBSP raw honey or 1 TBSP agave
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pure almond extract
• ice

Pear - Kale - Mint Smoothie

Source: Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko

• 4 ripe pears
• 4-5 leaves of kale
• 1/2 bunch of mint
• water, ice

W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Group Wellness Program

Confused about what to eat?

As we age, it's important to simplify our diets and include whole foods and lifestyle changes that slow the aging process and support menopause, hormonal health, emotional well-being, the nervous system and bone health. Enroll in the W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Wellness Program, a teleseminar series designed specifically for women over 50 who are looking to nurture their vitality. During this six session group program, you will explore your relationship with food and make sustainable changes that will increase your energy and improve your health. You will discover that when your diet changes, everything changes. What you eat literally becomes your blood, cells and even your thoughts. Participating in this supportive, group environment will help you take consistent action towards making yourself a priority.

Of course, no nutrition program is complete without an effective exercise program. You will learn the important role that exercise plays in improving your overall physical, mental and emotional health. Vionna will share tips and program ideas to jump start your exercise routine. You will receive assignments and email support between sessions to assist you in your journey of food experimentation, physical activity and personal growth. In addition, you will receive discounted admission to W.I.S.E. Woman Collective nutrition and fitness events that will further support your health goals.

As women, we tend to put the needs of our families and work at the top of our "To Do List," while our own personal needs get buried at the bottom. The W.I.S.E. Woman Collective is a supportive community of women over the age of 50 who are ready to make their own needs a priority. Led by Vionna Jones of Fit in DC, LLC and Kimberly Rush Lynch of Cultivating Health, The W.I.S.E Woman Collective will help you to see how fitness and food can be great self-nourishment and personal empowerment tools that you can incorporate into your life daily.

Dates: 9/15, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10, 12/1
Time: 7 - 8pm
Investment: $350 for Level I or $600 for Level I & Level II
*Note: Level I is a pre-requisite for Level II.

Register for Level I by September 1st and save $50!

For more details and to register, visit: http://wisewomancollectiveteleclass.eventbrite.com/

The W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Wellness Retreat

Are you ready to make YOU a priority?

Whether you are a professional or a recent retiree, it's time to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Join Vionna Jones and Kimberly Rush Lynch for a weekend retreat in wild and wonderful, Lost River Valley, West Virginia where you will have the opportunity to focus on nurturing your vitality. As women we often neglect our own physical and mental well-being because we are so focused on our careers and/or providing for our loved ones. We make little if any time at all to refill that energy well. If we're going be helpful to others we must FIRST nourish ourselves.

This weekend retreat will be an opportunity to get support around making YOU a priority and bringing more joy into your life. Kick back, take a deep breath and explore a more positive relationship with fitness and food. You'll learn how physical activity and mindful eating can be great self-nourishment and personal empowerment tools that you can incorporate into your daily routine easily. Bring a friend and experience the benefits of having a support system to hold you accountable for the life changing commitments that you will make to yourself during this retreat.

The W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Wellness Retreat is a fun get-away for women aged 50 and over.

The retreat will take place at the Lost River Barn in Mathias, WV. Built in the '30s, this rustic yet modernized cozy barn was once part of a cattle farm. Since then, proprietors Jay Moglia and Audrey Taucher have converted the barn into a house with three bedrooms, two and half baths and three large common areas. The deck and sun room overlook a beautiful countryside meadow and offer a breathtaking vista of the sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's the perfect environment in which to view the stars, soak up crisp mountain air and let the sun melt away life's worries. Enjoy an adventuresome and free-spirited weekend, reminiscent of those charming summer camp days.

For more information and photos of the accommodations, please visit Lost River Barn.

Investment: $700 per "buddy" ($350 per person)
Register: Please email us at WISEwomancollective@gmail.com or register on-line with Event Brite.

Enroll by May 1, 2009 and receive a $75 discount per person! To inquire about single accommodations, contact us at WISEwomancollective@gmail.com.

Sample Itinerary for The W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Wellness Retreat

Friday, June 12

3:30 p.m. - Guests begin to arrive

5:00 p.m. - All guests have checked in

5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Welcome & Icebreaker

6:00 - 6:30 p.m. - Break

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Dinner

8:30 - bedtime - Games, Movies & Fun

Saturday, June 13

Morning

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. - Yoga

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. - Breakfast

10:00 - 12:30 p.m. - Hiking/Fitness Walk

Afternoon

12:30 - 1:00 p.m - Break

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Lunch

2:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Afternoon Break (hiking, horseback riding*, exploring Lost River)

4:00 - 5:30 p.m. - Food & Fitness After Fifty

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Shower, Relax, Journal

Evening

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Dinner

8:30 - bedtime - Games, Movies, Massage* & Fun

Sunday, June 14

Morning

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. - Yoga

9:00 - 9:30 a.m. - Meditation & Journaling

9:30 - 10:15 a.m. - Breakfast

10:15 - 11:00 a.m. - Pack

Afternoon

11:00 - 11:30 p.m. - Leave Lost River & Head to General Store Cafe

11:30 - 1:00 p.m. - Artist Co-op

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Lunch at the Lost River General Store Cafe

2:00 - 2:30 p.m. - Farewell

*Note: Additional fees may apply. If there is enough interest, we will arrange for a massage therapist to join us for an evening and organize an afternoon horseback riding trip.

The Fun Doesn’t End Here!

Kim and Vionna want to help you to achieve your goals well into the future. The W.I.S.E. Woman Collective will have follow-up meetings the first Saturday of each month starting in September in locations in and around Washington DC. We will also offer private (or group) fitness, yoga or health education sessions by request.

Meet and Greet Fitness Walk at the U.S. National Arboretum

June 6, 2009

9:00 am-11:30 am

Meet Kim, Vionna and your fellow “campers” and begin thinking about your health and fitness goals during our "Meet and Greet" Fitness Walk through the beautiful U.S. National Arboretum. We will meet at 9:00 am at the M Street parking lot in the Grove of State Trees to begin our walk. After our walk through the lush Arboretum grounds, you will enjoy light refreshments while we discuss the retreat and how it's going to serve your health and fitness goals. Please wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes and bring a water bottle.

The "Meet and Greet" Fitness Walk is free for all participants in the W.I.S.E. Woman Collective Wellness Retreat. Feel free to invite friends.