What kind of water are you drinking this year? That may sound like a silly question. After all, water is just water, right? Wrong! The basic chemical composition of H2O may be the same, but the flavor of “plain old water” can be as different as all the labels on the bottles you see on store shelves or the location of the faucets where you fill your glass. So if you’re still looking for a great health resolution for 2013, here’s my suggestion. Find your favorite water and vow to drink it faithfully all year long.
For me, the flavor of water is a make or break issue in how much water I’m willing to drink. If I don’t like the way it tastes, I know I won’t drink it. It took a while and a lot of taste-testing, but I finally found a brand of water that I really like. My favorite is Voss water which is bottled in Norway. I also happen to prefer the glass bottles over plastic (it comes both ways) which makes it a bit pricier. But again, that’s just my personal preference. I’m not saying you should switch to drinking Voss. I am saying you need to take the time to find water you really like. Here’s why.
Our bodies are made up of more water than anything else. The bottom line is we need water to survive. I’m not talking soda-flavored or coffee-flavored or tea-flavored water. We need plain, pure H2O. Water contributes to all of the chemical and biological processes in our bodies from regulating blood pressure to flushing toxins out of our systems and even helps our bodies maintain the correct temperature. Our bodies can’t work at peak levels unless we supply enough water for those systems to be in balance.
My dietician tells me I need to drink 72 ounces of water every day. If you look at that in one big jug, it’s an intimidating amount to have to drink. But once I figured out that’s just six bottles of my favorite Voss water, it doesn’t look so bad. I like to take a sharpie and number the bottles for each day. That way I don’t lose track or cheat my body by miscounting.
Numbering the bottles also helps me spread my water out evenly through the day. Our bodies need a steady supply of water to keep all those systems running. So chugging a bunch of water at the end of the day isn’t good for your body. It’s also not good for your sleep since you’ll probably have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom if you save most of your water for evening!
Numbering the bottles also helps make sure you don’t drink too much water. For most of us, that may sound ridiculous. But it is possible to dilute the balance of minerals and other chemicals in your body if you drink too much water too fast. That’s another reason I like Voss water – it helps replenish the minerals my body needs. Our bodies are all about being in balance. So if you’re not sure how much water is right for you, talk to your doctor.
It all boils down to listening to what your body is telling you. Now that I’m drinking the right amount of water every day, I feel better, have more energy, have an easier time maintaining my weight and I can even think more clearly. Giving up other drinks in favor of water may take a bit of effort, but your body will thank you for giving it the water it needs.