DRINK 8 GLASSES
EVERY DAY?
OF
WATER
Who made this rule and were “they” kidding?
Sadly, no. We are all supposed to drink that much water a day.
I mean, everyone knows THAT. The important question at this
point is not why, its how?
I have a confession to make. Come closer, this is a big one.
I hate drinking water. There, I said it. I’m a Nutritionist
and I hate drinking water. Gosh, I feel so much better putting
that out there. Then again, let’s face it, I’m probably
slightly dehydrated as I write this. :-S
In my opinion, water has no taste! Its like liquid blah. Sure,
there are some brands of water that taste better than others,
but still……..it just doesn’t do it for me, unless I’ve just
finished working out and sweated like crazy (but to be honest,
even then I’d rather pour it on myself than drink it!). Well,
if your one of those people that carries a water bottle
wherever you go and just feels so darned hydrated, then goody
for you. But if you’re like me, I empathize, and so I’m going
to be very generous and share the ideas that really help me,
and hopefully will help you as well:
(1) The #1 thing that has helped me is a product called
Hint. (www.drinkhint.com). This water is incredible because
it has zero calories and zero artificial sweeteners, colors,
or flavors. Don’t ask me how they do
this, I don’t care if it’s magic. All I
know is it tastes great and is just as
beneficial as drinking plain water. The
only problem I have with this company
is that finding it in Toronto, Canada
has not been easy. A few Starbucks
locations carry it, but sadly I’ve only seen the blackberry
flavor. Send us more flavors! (There’s a similar product
called Metromint, which has fruit flavors along with a
subtle mint taste to it that I don’t love; but if you like
mint, it’s an excellent choice as well www.metromint.com)
(2) Make your own flavored water. If you can’t find Hint or
don’t want to spend the money, make your own…..fill a
pitcher with some good quality, ozonated reverse osmosis
water (or bottled spring water) and add a bunch of sliced
cucumbers, or a handful of raspberries, or some peeled,
sliced oranges or lemons. Experiment with whatever fruit you
like, go crazy and mix fruits too! Let it sit in the
refrigerator for a while to bring out the flavor and enjoy!
(3) Mix your water with juice. Add 2 ounces of fresh
squeezed or commercial fruit juice (not the artificial stuff
please!) to your cup of water – save on calories, but not on
taste.
(4) Drink hot or iced herbal tea. There are so many
varieties of teas out there, and many of them contain
beneficial herbs for specific health needs. They all taste
great, just read the cautions on the label if there are any,
because some herbal teas should not be consumed more than
once a day or at all if you have certain health conditions.
Also, some herbal teas should not be consumed if you are
pregnant or breastfeeding. If you aren’t sure, go for the
basic, all-around-good-for-you Green tea, which has a
moderate caffiene content, but since it is alkaline it won’t
have the same adverse acidic effects as coffee. Also try
Roobios tea, which is a naturally decaffeinated South
African tea. Add a teaspoon or two of organic raw honey and
you have a delicious drink that counts as water but has an
actual taste!
(5) Try a coffee substitute. If you’re a coffee drinker,
know that caffeine acts as a diuretic, so you’re wasting
your time if you think it counts as water. No, that doesn’t
mean you should increase your coffee intake (nice try,
though), since caffeine has other well-known side effects
such as increasing your blood pressure and heart rate. You
could switch to decaf, of course, but you’re still consuming
an equally high-acidic beverage to regular coffee, that can
cause gastrointestinal upset such as acid reflux or stomache
pains. It also helps create an acid environment in your body
which in turn creates a breeding ground for all sorts of
ailments. One cup a day is not too detrimental for most
people, but why not forgo the coffee altogether and try a
coffee substitute, such as those made from roasted grains,
chicory root or dandelion. They taste surprisingly like
coffee without the downside and do count towards your 8 cup
quota.
Feeling thirsty yet? I know I am!