In this article, I’m going to be sharing with you the benefits of one very common resource and one thing that you can add to plain water that’s going to give it a mega boost, especially if you suffer from symptoms like dry mouth, thirst, imbalance, dry skin, fatigue, lack of energy, yellow urination and even hunger and dizziness. All of these symptoms are directly related to dehydration.

Water is so important to our health. It makes up 50% to 60% of our body and our system. Without water, we are going to suffer from those symptoms and many other that we may not even know are related to dehydration. I’m going to be real with you, plain water just isn’t enough. It doesn’t have one of the key components that our cells need to feel full and replenished.

This vital resource is going to act like a key that’s going to unlock the cell door so that the cell can then take in the water. This lock and key metaphor is one that is used for several resources that cells need, so it’s just not specific to water. Once our cells have that key to unlock the door, then they can really start absorbing water.

So, I’ll say it again, plain water just isn’t enough. It is enough sometimes, but we really need to include that key in order to reap the full benefits of having ourselves absorb the water. So what is this one key that I keep alluding to? It’s the sour flavor! In Chinese medicine, the sour flavor has been used for thousands of years as an astringent.

Imagine when you bite into a lemon and it really makes your mouth pucker. Everything kind of closes and you go, “Whew!” That is the sour flavor astringing into your body. It’s going to help your body hold on to resources.

Western medicine confirms this to be true with the sour flavor. Research has shown that the sour flavor not only helps ourselves absorb fluid and act as that key that’s going to unlock the cellular door, but as a direct result, the sour flavor also helps with your balance, as well as with any dizziness, vertigo and muscle cramps.

Your cells need water, which is going to replenish your muscles, which are going to help your tissues, skin and even your brain. Other foods that possess the sour flavor are going to be obviously lemons, limes, grapefruit, sauerkraut, apple cider, vinegar and even green apples. One of the easiest ways that I suggest to my patients that they get the sour flavor in and help unlock that cellular door for reabsorption is with lemon water.

If you have a small lemon, you might want to consider adding half of the lemon to your water, or if you’ve got a larger lemon, add one fourth. Just simply fill your glass with water, 8 to 12 ounces is best, squeeze the lemon in and enjoy. I recommend not drinking water cold. Drink your water at room temperature or if you like, drink it warm.

The benefits of lemon in particular, besides not only being easy, will also include a high volume of vitamin C, which is going to help increase your immunity and help keep you healthy. Some of the simplest things that we have available to us are some of the best that are going to help keep our body healthy and strong. Lemon water is something that I’ve been doing for the past 15 years and I rely on it.

If I have a glass in the morning, and I’d then proceed the rest of the day drinking regular plain water, there is enough of that key sour element in me to continuously unlock the cell door so that my cells can absorb the plain water. But I will crave that sour flavor throughout the day continuously and some days more than others.

So I grab my lemons or I have some grapefruit juice and I give my body what it’s craving for.

Cindy Chamberlain is a licensed acupuncturist and a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) of Eastern Healing Solutions, LLC in Overland Park, KS