For years, drinking enough water was simply not a habit for me.
I knew I should drink more, but somehow I always forgot. Until I stopped thinking about hydration as something I should do and started experimenting with what actually makes me want to drink.
Today, I usually drink around two litres of water a day, and I genuinely feel better for it. I feel more hydrated, I don’t get the headaches I used to, and I feel that drinking regularly also helps me recognise when I’m actually hungry and when I might simply be thirsty.
So I started wondering:
Is there actually something behind the way I drink water, or did I simply finally create a habit?
Probably a bit of both.
My morning water ritual
I usually start my day with warm water and a little Himalayan salt.
I also drink it through a straw.
That might sound like a very small detail, but for me it actually makes a difference. I really enjoy the sensation of drinking through a straw, and somehow it makes me want to drink more.
I don’t know yet whether there is any interesting science behind that or whether it’s simply a sensory preference.
But that’s exactly what I’m interested in finding out.
Sometimes I also drink water with vinegar, sometimes lemon, and sometimes I dissolve magnesium in water.
So my hydration routine isn’t exactly just a glass of plain water.
It’s a collection of little things that make drinking easier and more enjoyable for me.
What about the Japanese Water Therapy idea?
I’ve also been experimenting with what is often called Japanese Water Therapy.
The version you find online usually involves drinking water in the morning and leaving some time between drinking and eating. Some versions also recommend avoiding drinks during meals.
I don’t follow it perfectly.
Especially the part about not drinking while eating can be difficult sometimes.
But I do try to drink before a meal so that I don’t sit down to eat already feeling thirsty.
For me, it simply makes sense.
If I’m thirsty when I start eating, how much of what I’m feeling is actually hunger?
I don’t know.
And I don’t want to turn that into a scientific claim.
The same goes for the idea that drinking during a meal „dilutes stomach acid”. Our digestive system is much more complicated than that, and I haven’t found a good reason to treat this as a proven rule.
For me, it’s simply an experiment that seems to work well.
Warm water or cold water?
Traditional Chinese medicine has a long tradition of preferring warm or room-temperature drinks.
Modern science doesn’t tell us that warm water is universally better for hydration.
So I’m not trying to prove that it is.
I simply like warm water.
I’ve got used to the taste and I enjoy it, especially in the morning.
But then summer arrives.
When it’s really hot, I don’t force myself to drink warm water all day.
In the morning, when it’s still cooler, I might have my usual glass of warm water with a little Himalayan salt.
Later in the day, I often make cold-brewed green tea and drink it throughout the day.
I really like it cold, and it’s a nice alternative to plain water when it’s hot outside.
So I don’t actually believe there is one perfect hydration routine.
I adapt it to the weather, how I feel and what makes me want to drink.
And then there is the salt
I use Himalayan salt in my morning water.
There is a real physiological reason why the idea of adding salt to water sounds interesting: sodium is an electrolyte and plays an important role in fluid balance.
But that doesn’t mean everyone needs to add salt to their water.
Most people already get sodium from food, and electrolytes become particularly relevant when we’re losing significant amounts of fluid — for example through heavy sweating or prolonged exercise.
So I’m not saying:
„Everyone should drink salt water.”
I’m saying:
„This is what I do, and I want to understand whether it actually makes a difference.”
That’s a big part of what Poco a Poco is about.
Being curious without automatically believing everything we see online.
Maybe the real problem isn’t water
The more I think about hydration, the more I realise that many people don’t have a knowledge problem.
They have a habit problem.
They forget to drink.
They get busy.
They don’t like the taste.
They don’t have water nearby.
They don’t know how much they’ve already had.
Or they simply find plain water boring.
And these are much more interesting problems to solve.
For me, the straw helps.
A bottle that stays next to me helps.
Seeing how much I’ve already drunk helps.
Having something with a little flavour sometimes helps.
And cold green tea on a hot day definitely helps.
None of these things are magic.
They just make the habit easier.
Two litres a day
Getting closer to two litres a day has been a noticeable change for me.
I feel better hydrated, and I haven’t been experiencing the headaches I used to.
I also feel that drinking regularly helps me manage my appetite better.
But that’s my experience, not a promise that two litres is the right amount for everyone.
We have different bodies, different levels of activity, different diets and different climates.
The point isn’t to copy my number.
The point is to find out what helps you drink regularly.
So what’s the best way to hydrate?
Maybe it’s not about finding the perfect water.
Maybe it’s about finding the way of drinking that you can actually stick with.
Warm water.
Cold water.
Mineral water.
Filtered water.
Green tea.
Lemon.
A little flavour.
A bottle with a straw.
A bottle with measurements.
Whatever makes you reach for it.
I don’t want Poco a Poco to become another place telling you what you must do.
I’d rather experiment.
Look at the research.
Look at traditional practices.
Look at what people actually say after using these products.
Look at the bad reviews as well as the good ones.
And then ask one simple question:
Does this actually help?
Because sometimes the best health habit isn’t the most complicated one.
Sometimes it’s just the one you actually do.
Poco a poco.
One small change at a time.
A.
[poco a poco]. 
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