Water Your Way

Water is the best thing you can drink. Here are a few pieces of evidence:

• Water increases alertness and productivity by 30%. Water gives you mental energy. Water helps you think clearly and concentrate all day.

• Water is 75% of your muscles. Water allows you to stay hydrated to avoid muscle fatigue. This means you can perform at your best, keeping your muscles in better condition, and ultimately be in a position to build more strength.

• Water gives you 1 hour of fullness after meals. Our bodies often mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking more water will help you eat less and feel fuller for longer.

• Water makes up 75% of the brain and 92% of your blood. This means that drinking water will support brain activity and blood flow, which leads to you being happier and more alert, keeps your blood flowing and allows you to flush out toxins.

“Dehydration is a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones.”

— CDC

Step by step, you can easily adjust your lifestyle to drink more water. And when you notice the effect, it will be difficult to stop drinking water.

But, let’s be honest … There are days when I AM SO OVER WATER! I don’t want any more water. I don’t want to even look at it. I’m feigning for something different, but I know I still want to meet my water intake goal. If you need variety, there are ways to drink water your way to avoid needing to return to other drinks. My favorite ways to disguise water are:

1. Infused Water

2. Sparkling and Flavored Waters

3. Herbal Tea

Infused Water

Fruit-infused waters made at home are amazing ways to feel satisfied like I’ve had a flavored drink and feel fancy like I’m at the spa. You can add one fruit or herb, or do fun combinations of multiple items. Either way it infuses into the water and taste so good. I find it much easier to drink more water throughout the day when it tastes like infused fruit. An added bonus: the antioxidants in the fruit, plus the larger consumption of water, means that toxins will be flushed out from the body.

There are recipes out there, but you really don’t need them - just throw some of your favorite fruits and herbs together. My favorite fruit infusion combos are: (1) cucumber ginger lemon; (2) strawberry cucumber mint; (3) orange basil; and (4) cantaloupe strawberry. To make these recipes, I keep ingredients in the fridge like cucumber (which has high amount of antioxidants and can help lower blood pressure), mint leaves (which are known to assist with digestive health, energy and brain function), and ginger (which a powerful aid to nausea and digestion).

I suggest purchasing a pitcher or a water bottle to help with the fruit infusion. The pitchers below are my favorite options. But if you don’t have time to slide fruit, try MIO drops. Mio drops are great to keep in your purse or in the cabinet as a quick splash. A squirt or two of Mio drops will have your drink looking like it’s not water but it totally is! So good! It’s a nice water enhancer to keep you hydrated in a pinch!

• Purchase the Prodyne Fruit Infusion pitcher at Target or Amazon

• Purchase a fruit infusion water bottle at QVC or Amazon

Sparkling Water

Sometimes I order sparkling waters when I’m out at a restaurant, so treating myself to a sparkling water at home feels like a real treat! Most restaurants and grocery stores will have Perrier or San Pellegrino. To really make it feel special, use a wine glass or a chilled beer glass, and try lemon or lime slices. This makes me feel just as special as when people around me drink alcohol or soda.

Sparkling waters also come in flavors- these flavored waters are fun to have when you want a flat water with a hint of pazzazz! They are a great replacement for juice and soda as you still get a flavored drink without the sugar. If you need a big hint of flavor and water to save money, I buy Kirkland Sparkling waters from Costco. If you want to try a new sparkling water, give the pineapple and watermelon Bubly a guzzle!

• Purchase San Pellogrino or Perrier

• Purchase Sparkling water

• Purchase Bubly

Herbal Tea

I loveeee a good Herbal Tea! Some herbal treas may also have a bit of caffeine, which will help to increase energy and brain function. Tea temperature matters, and I am selective about using kettles or mugs that keep my tea at my preferred temperature. For great temperature control, try the Ember Smart Mug or the PerfecTemp Electric Kettle, or just invest in a good, heat-conductive old fashioned whistling kettle.

My absolute favorite thing to drink is herbal tea with lemon. In the morning, water with lemon is an excellent recipe for starting the stomach, boosting energy and cleansing of toxins. Lemons are great for aiding digestion and are high in antioxidants. My favorite tea shops are Tea Forte, Harney & Sons and David’s Tea. The Earl Gray and Raspberry Nectar teas from Tea Forte are amongst are my absolute go-to teas, day and night. The Greent Tea with Mint at Hanvey & Sons is my favorite! David’s Tea has so many I love but I’d definitely recommend their apple cider tea (although a rooibos tea I can’t live without Cotton Candy tea but that’s a treat for me).

• Purchase the Smart Mug by Ember at Kohl’s or Amazon

• Purchase the Cuisinart PerfecTemp Electric Kettle at LTK or Amazon

• Purchase the Le Creuset Whistling Kettle at Williams Sonoma or Amazon

• Purchase any of the loose leaf teas: Earl Gray, Raspberry Nectar and Green Tea with Mint

How much water have you had today? Has water become bland and boring? Do you want your water to account for your taste preferences? Do you need a water alternative?! Well, I hope I’ve given you a few options to throw into your mix! You got this!