BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM We all know we should drink more water. But what if you’re over it? Hydration is essential for everything from brain function to joint health, but that doesn’t mean your only option is to endlessly sip plain old H2O. According to dietitians, there are plenty of tasty, nourishing alternatives that make meeting your hydration goals less of a chore and more of a treat. “Hydration supports nearly every function in the body,” says Alison Ellis, MSc, RD, founder of The Toddler Kitchen in Victoria, BC. “From muscle recovery to sleep quality, staying well hydrated is key.” So if water isn’t your favorite beverage, or if you just want to add some variety to your hydration habits, here are nine drinks that deliver electrolytes, flavor, and all. 1. Herbal tea: flavorful and functional  Peppermint, ginger, or even decaf green and black teas all offer hydration benefits with a bonus dose of antioxidants. “They’re a great way to add flavor and variety to your fluid intake,” says Ellis. Her summer tip? Brew a big batch and chill it overnight for a refreshing iced tea. 2. Bone broth: savory and soothing  Yes, soup counts. Bone broth is not only rich in sodium and minerals like potassium, it’s also a comforting choice when you’re feeling under the weather. “Broth helps retain water in the body and is especially nourishing during illness,” says Brittany Brown, RD IBCLC CDE, a dietitian based in Nova Scotia. 3. Infused water: spa vibes at home  If plain water bores you, dress it up. “Add cucumber, berries, mint—whatever you like,” says Ellis. These ingredients bring natural electrolytes and make staying hydrated feel fancy. If you need inspiration then try a strawberry-basil, blueberry-mint, or cucumber-lime to get you started. 4. Diluted juice: sweetened sensibly  Pure juice can be a hydration helper as long as you dilute it and toss in a pinch of salt. “This boosts fluid retention and balances electrolytes,” says Brown. Bonus: It’s a clever hack for gas-station hydration using what’s already available. 5. Coconut water: nature’s sports drink  Packed with potassium and magnesium, coconut water is a naturally sweet way to replenish electrolytes. Just skip brands with added sugars. Brown swears by a DIY morning mix: coconut water, orange juice, and sea salt. “It’s a functional, refreshing start to any active day.” 6. Clamato juice: brunch-approved hydration  Tomato and veggie-based drinks may be an unexpected hydration power house. “These are high in sodium and potassium, which aid in fluid balance,” says Brown. Try a splash of lemon juice or a celery salt rim if you’re feeling extra. 7. Smoothies: fruit-forward and fluid-rich  Hydration plus nutrients? Yes, please. “Smoothies with high-water fruits like melon or berries are packed with fluid and fiber,” says Ellis. Her favorite: watermelon, strawberries, mint, and yogurt. Hydrating and delicious. 8. Electrolyte drinks: DIY or to-go  Whether you prefer trendy sachets or a homemade mojito-inspired mocktail, electrolyte drinks deliver hydration where it counts. Brown’s recipe? Lime juice, sugar, sea salt, mint, soda water, and coconut water.  9. Milk: the underrated MVP  Surprise! Milk is over 90 percent water and loaded with electrolytes. “It’s a solid hydration option, especially for athletes or kids,” says Ellis. And if you’re dairy-free, fortified plant-based milks can do the trick too. Brown even recommends low-sugar chocolate milk for post-workout recovery. Hydration is personal “Hydration needs aren’t one-size-fits-all,” Ellis explains. Listen to your body, aim for pale yellow pee, and hydrate proactively. Brown adds, “Front-loading fluids—especially those with electrolytes—can help you feel and perform your best.” So go ahead and raise a glass to your health. And no, it doesn’t have to be plain water.The post The 9 best beverages to boost hydration this summer, according to dietitians first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Funerals are surprisingly polluting. A single burial emits around 833 kilograms of CO2, while a typical cremation releases about 400. Add in the environmental toll of concrete, steel, and embalming chemicals, and the traditional funeral industry starts to look alarmingly unsustainable. A British startup, Resting Reef, is offering a striking alternative. Instead of resting underground or in an urn, human ashes could soon help revive the UK’s damaged seabeds. “Cemeteries should be places that reconnect us with nature and remind us that we’re part of a larger ecosystem,” says co-founder Aura Murillo Pérez, who met her business partner, Louise Skajem, while studying at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Building reefs from memory Resting Reef uses a water-based alkaline process called aquamation to cremate remains. The resulting ashes are mixed with crushed oyster shells and marine-safe concrete to create a substance that mimics natural reef materials. “Oyster reefs can help regenerate marine growth but 85 percent have been lost due to human activities,” explains Murillo Pérez. “We are using animal and human ashes to mimic those natural reefs.” Each memorial reef is molded into a habitat with different heights, textures, and tunnels, designed to support diverse marine species. Anchored at around 10 metres deep, the structures help filter water, prevent coastal erosion, and foster biodiversity. From Bali to Britain Resting Reef piloted its concept in 2024 in Bali, where 24 pet memorial reefs were placed in collaboration with the local community. The results were promising: reefs attracted 84 fish species, with a biodiversity rate 14 times higher than nearby degraded sites. Following that success, the company is now seeking licenses to bring the initiative to the UK, specifically to Plymouth Breakwater on England’s south coast. The area is already a designated national marine park. “It’s time for the death industry to change,” says Murillo Pérez. “We want to shift the industry from focusing on death to life and regenerate growth.” A growing tide of support The company’s innovation has earned attention. Resting Reef was a finalist in the Terra Carta Design Lab, a global competition launched by King Charles and Jony Ive, and it received a grant from Innovate UK. Murillo Pérez also made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Europe for social impact. Marine experts are optimistic. Professor Rick Stafford, a specialist in artificial reefs at Bournemouth University, praised the project for its local biodiversity impact. “It’s entirely in line with environmental policies like protecting 30 percent of the world’s land and sea by 2030,” he said. Peter Holt, director of Plymouth’s Ships Project, echoed this: “I’m very excited by the project and its potential to improve marine habitats and support a range of maritime industries.” Looking ahead If approved, human memorial reefs could begin appearing in British waters by 2027. Packages start at £3,900 (around $5,300 USD), with optional add-ons like curated on-site activities. Skajem, who studied the decline of oyster and coral reefs, sees the project as a hopeful intervention. “We do not see ourselves working with death,” she says, “but rather providing better lives for coming generations by changing a very polluting industry and practice.” For a practice so often associated with endings, Resting Reef is offering a new beginning, not just for loved ones, but for life beneath the waves.The post Turning ashes into action: how memorial reefs could restore Britain’s seabeds first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Your Father in Heaven doesn’t break promises. Learn what He’s declared over you since the beginning, and why you can count on Him forever.

Celebrate the first day of summer with gratitude and trust in God’s unchanging faithfulness.

'If I say to you this is a lawnmower, you'll think I'm crazy'

Lord have mercy

It is clear that CBS Evening News Plus exists primarily as a vehicle for anchor John Dickerson’s self-righteous windbaggery. As such, viewers have been subjected to yet another eye roll-inducing editorial.  In this latest instance, Dickerson signs off with a whiny complaint about the manner in which President Donald John Trump deliberates on the consequential issues of the day: CBS EVENING NEWS PLUS 6/19/25 7:26 PM JOHN DICKERSON: Donald Trump may be facing the highest-stakes decision of his presidency: Whether to attack Iran. And we're all involved in the process. In the Oval Office, on the South Lawn, aboard Air Force One. Today, he says he'll decide whether to bomb within two weeks. This pause could be the beginning of great success, or a sign of confusion. In either event, the deliberations ahead will be televised. These presidential improvisations represent a different vision of the job than the one in 1948 that Washington Post editorial writers applied to Harry Truman. They scolded Truman for speaking off the cuff: the term for an unscripted comment. “Mr. Truman cannot get away from the fact that his words become those of the President of the United States. We cannot suppress the hope that when he speaks for the whole nation, the advantage of weighing his words will not be overlooked.” President Trump operates the way he does to stay at the center of events, to buy time to keep his opponents guessing. Some of it is tactical trial balloons, but it may also reveal how he actually makes decisions through echolocation. He says something, gauges reaction, then maneuvers. We've seen this with his cabinet appointments. Instead of carefully vetting nominees, Trump announces a pick and gauges the reaction. “I want to see how it plays”, he said. “I want to see how people react.” On Iran, it feels like the president is workshopping his choices in front of a live audience. “You don't know. I may do it. I may not do it”, Trump said of bombing Iran, “nobody knows what I'm going to do.” It's a method that maximizes flexibility, but it also risks keeping allies off balance. Invites overreaction and discourages the kind of slow, thorough process that is usually involved in decisions where so many lives are at stake. But it is central to Donald Trump's way. “I play it very loose,” he wrote in The Art of the Deal. “I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.” That’s what the world will have to do, too. This pompous whining about Donald Trump is not a new phenomenon. In the recent past Dickerson has whined about Trump’s exercise of discretion on immigration, blamed Trump (among others) for ruining spring, lamented Trump’s having presidential power, and huffed about the viral Pope Trump meme. To suggest that Dickerson’s observations might be Trump-deranged is comparable to suggesting that water might be wet. And so it is that Dickerson sees fit to complain about Trump’s wide open deliberative process. As is often the case with Dickerson’s pronouncements, he likes to pair them with some bit of historic trivia. In this case, we get the Washington Post editorial castigating Harry Truman for having the temerity to be spontaneous.  The fatal flaw in Dickerson’s screed is that he never once pauses to consider that the past pusillanimity of thoughtful, deliberative men and their thoughtful, deliberative staffs is precisely what brought us to this moment of reckoning on decades of Iran policy. This, of course, is by design. At the end of the day, Dickerson doesn’t really care about Trump’s strategic ambiguity or deliberative process. He’s just salty that Trump is the one who is invested with the tremendous powers of the presidency, and who will decide what to do about Iran.  

Former Obama Lackey Richard Stengel Says Iranians Chanting ‘Death to America’ are Respectful