A Miracle On Ice

The Magic of Vichy Catalan Water - Hard to find (especially in US) but life changing if you do

You’ll rarely hear me say a product is something everyone should try. I don’t believe in “good for everyone” dogma - multivitamins included.

But this one is different

It’s… water.

Not just any water.

In the U.S., we’ve stripped our water so clean it’s lost almost everything in it. Then, realizing we’re dehydrated, we add electrolytes back in. In much of Europe, the tradition around water is very different—think mineral-rich springs people have been drinking for centuries.

In Krynica, Poland, for example (where often go with my family), you literally go “water tasting.” Some, like Zuber, taste awful - but they have documented healing properties.

So it wasn’t an accident when I stumbled across Vichy Catalan - a highly carbonated mineral water from Spain - in my parents’ fridge. Worth noting: I’ve been dealing with ongoing stomach and gut issues for the past three years, with only on-and-off relief from medication and antibiotics.

And while it’s been a game-changer for me, the benefits go far beyond “fixing a problem.” In my experience, whether it’s easing pain, reducing bloat, or simply helping food feel lighter, most of it comes down to restoring acidity balance - which means Vichy isn’t just for people with gut issues. Think of it as a natural, mineral-rich digestive anyone can enjoy after a meal.

Vichy is my current - and only consistent - medicine. I even tried to recreate its digestive benefits with supplements, including digestive enzymes with Betaine HCl to help with stomach acid balance. Close, but not the same - the combination of minerals, carbonation, and natural composition in Vichy can’t be replicated in a capsule.

Now I hoard it when I can:

• Some Whole Foods have it (rarely).

• Mulberry Market gets it sometimes.

• Amazon sells it (overpriced, but worth it).

And then I learned something that made me love it even more: Harvard recently completed a seven-year study on lithium and brain cognition - and guess what is a natural way to get it? Yep. Vichy water.

Disclaimer: I learned about it from Dr Tamsin Lewis (who I am lucky to know and couldn’t recommend more to follow!)

So, at the risk of you all depleting the already limited NYC supply, I’m telling you: drink it daily. Not as a wellness fad, but as medicine - for hydration, for post-meal digestion, for stomach acidity balance, and for your brain.

If you can’t find Vichy, two other mineral-rich waters worth exploring:

• Gerolsteiner (Germany): Naturally carbonated, high in bicarbonate, calcium, and magnesium—great for digestion and alkalinity balance.

• Lithia Spring Water (USA): Rare lithia water with naturally occurring lithium, calcium, magnesium, and silica for cognitive and mood benefits.

  

  If you’ve seen mineral rich water or other water you love around the world please let me know and I’d love to share :)