My number-one secret for getting/staying healthy isn’t really a secret at all.
Drink water.
When I was pregnant with my first child, the best advice my doctor gave me was to keep hydrated. I got a giant water bottle – one marked with easy-to-read measurements, and used that to keep track of my water intake each day. By the time I was finally done with pregnancy and nursing … well, by that time I was expecting again, so when I was finally done with all that, I had firmly established the habit of drinking water constantly throughout the day.
I’m not perfect with it anymore – my girls are four and five, long enough for me to occasionally slide back into bad habits. But oh boy, can I tell the difference when I get out of the habit. When I am drinking enough water, my mind is clearer; my body healthier; my hair and skin happier; my temptations to eat too much sugar far lessoned. When I’m even slightly dehydrated? I get slow, sluggish, and stupid. Cranky, too.
I don’t always like drinking it. Sometimes it’s too boring, sometimes it just tastes unpleasant. So often I add fruit to it to give a little more flavor, or squirt some lemon juice in, or even add just a tiny bit of juice. Anything to convince myself to keep drinking it.
And no, coffee, even decaffeinated, is NOT an acceptable substitute for water. So sorry! (Neither is black tea, which is sadder for me personally.)
Exercise is good (I’m still looking for something to fill the gap ice dance was for me this winter); healthy eating in general is hugely important; the simple act of moving throughout the day necessary; but for me, drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated is the single best thing I can do to stay healthy, body and mind.
How about you?
This post is part of the Staying Healthy Bloghop. Check out more posts at Alex J Cavanaugh, Stephen Tremp, L Diane Tremp, and Michael Di Gesu.
Water is definitely a good way to go! I drink aprox. 2 litres a day.
Great minds do think alike! And coffee and tea aren’t good substitutes, mostly because of the caffeine.
Thanks for participating in our bloghop.
I read all this over at Alex’s blog. It is universally known to be all good, but I still find it hard to stick to. *Sigh. X
Shah X
http://bit.ly/13Y93DV
Cranky with headaches – that’s me without drinking enough! Although there are now studies which show that tea and coffee are good substitutes, and you can get quite a lot of water from fruit and vegetables.
I’m like you, much as I love drinking water, sometimes it just tastes wrong!
Suzanne @ Suzannes Tribe
I try to keep a large cup of water or a thermos of green tea on my desk so I can sip throughout the day, but this is a tip I could and should be more conscious of. It helps my skin and energy.
Drinking water can get boring and taxing, so adding lemon or a bit of fruit juice is a great way to continue to drink much needed water.
As for taste. Distilled water is fresh and free of all chemicals and metals. Try it. I use it for cooking, tea, and the coffee. LOVE IT. Sorry, some things I can’t give up. LOL. But you will notice a more delicious taste. It also flushes out the impurities of the body much more efficiently. You’d be amazed at how much garbage is in tap water and many BOTTLED WATERS.
Thanks for posting for the HOP!
Water is definitely important for a healthy body. I admit that there are days I don’t drink enough and boy does my body know it. Now it’s time for me to go and refill my water bottle. : )
I’ve always been a big water drinker. I’m not into soda or juices at all… I do have my occasional wine and daily coffee but I’m never dehydrated. I think its a great and simple advice that we often forget but like anything else if we make it a routine it becomes part of our norm and we benefit from it. Great tip 😀
Thanks for reminding me that I haven’t had any water today! It seriously helps a ton. I also try to avoid drinking calories, period. Crazy how quick one glass of orange juice can add to your otherwise great calorie count. My only exception is milk with my muti-vitaman in the morning 🙂
I have to get over the inconvenience of the frequent bathroom trips, because drinking more water does make me feel better. Thanks Louise!
The main beverages I drink are water and green tea. I’ve heard if you need to reduce the amount of caffeine in tea, let it steep for 30 seconds, discard the water, and steep in fresh water. The caffeine comes out right away.
My husband thinks I’m crazy when I say water doesn’t taste good because it has no taste. But that’s my point! I can drink it with flavoring though.
You should drink water all the time, but when I eat a really fattening meal and feeling blah, there is nothing like a glass of ice cold water to make feel like I am doing something good for my body.
I agree and have always been told that as well. When ever someone is in the family is feeling unwell (especially headaches), the first thing I ask is “Have you been drinking enough water?”
Yes, water, I couldn’t agree more!
I am a water drinker. If I don’t get enough, I get headaches. My cat allergies bug me too. I have tried to get my husband to drink water to feel better, but he won’t. Oh well. I got my daughter to drink it often.
I had to go to the hospital once with contractions at 28 weeks, and discovered the reason why was I was dehydrated! Boy did my doctor give me a hard time about that! (Still not so good about remembering hydration. Off to fill up the water bottle right now)
I too started carrying around a water bottle while pregnant, and now I’m addicted to it. I didn’t have a clean water bottle the other day and figured I’d just rely on getting a glass whenever I was thirsty, but it’s NOT the same thing. Every time I got into the car, I immediately was thirsty. Other times I’d be too lazy to go get a glass of water but I’d just keep getting crankier and more uncomfortable. There are some places I take my water bottle and I see people like “Why? Why are you carrying that around?” but I keep thinking “Why WOULDN’T I? Doesn’t anyone else feel as thirsty all the time as I do?”