Do One Thing: Drink more water

According to the American Dietetic Association, most men need about 13 cups of water a day and most women need about 9 cups, in order to help the kidneys function properly, keep joints lubricated, flush toxins from the system and keep skin healthy. In warmer weather, and during exercise, we need even more water to remain properly hydrated. 9-13 cups of water sounds like a lot, but remember that all the water in your diet counts; it isn’t just the glasses of pure water you drink that help you reach your water intake goals, but also the juice, milk, tea and coffee that you drink, as well as the water that you get from foods like soup, lettuce, watermelon, broccoli and grapefruit. Do try to get a number of cups of water from pure water, though. Some tips to help you achieve your water intake goals:

• Start and end your day with a cup of water
• Drink a cup of water with each meal & snack
• Keep a large glass or bottle of water at your desk
• Drink water instead of soda or juice or at least drink a full cup of water for every cup of soda or juice and for each serving wine or beer you drink
• Stop and drink some water each time you see a water fountain
• Try sparkling water, even Poland Spring’s flavored sparkling waters in lemon, lime, mandarin orange, and raspberry-lime

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to the American Dietetic Association, most men need about 13 cups of water a day and most women need about 9 cups, in order to help the kidneys function properly, keep joints lubricated, flush toxins from the system and keep skin healthy. In warmer weather, and during exercise, we need even more water to remain properly hydrated. 9-13 cups of water sounds like a lot, but remember that all the water in your diet counts; it isn’t just the glasses of pure water you drink that help you reach your water intake goals, but also the juice, milk, tea and coffee that you drink, as well as the water that you get from foods like soup, lettuce, watermelon, broccoli and grapefruit. Do try to get a number of cups of water from pure water, though. Some tips to help you achieve your water intake goals:

• Start and end your day with a cup of water
• Drink a cup of water with each meal & snack
• Keep a large glass or bottle of water at your desk
• Drink water instead of soda or juice or at least drink a full cup of water for every cup of soda or juice and for each serving wine or beer you drink
• Stop and drink some water each time you see a water fountain
• Try sparkling water, even Poland Spring’s flavored sparkling waters in lemon, lime, mandarin orange, and raspberry-lime

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trying to cut back on soda?

For most people trying to give up soda, it’s the carbonation they miss the most. Whether you are trying to cut back a little, a lot or give up soda completely, here are some substitutes you can try:

• Pellegrino or Perrier sparkling water
• Poland Spring plain or flavored sparkling water – Mandarin Orange; Lime; Raspberry-Lime; Lemon
• Seltzer mixed with 100% fruit juice, like cranberry juice, or flavor syrup like…
• Torani sugar-free flavor syrups for home use; Torani has a number of different flavors that you can use to make Italian sodas or any number of recipes available on their site

Need to take baby steps? Try GuS Grown-Up Sodas. The GuS website explains that GuS sodas are “100% natural, pasteurized and kosher, with no caffeine. And they're lightly sweetened with natural cane sugar, with only 90 - 98 calories in each 12oz. bottle.”

For most people trying to give up soda, it’s the carbonation they miss the most. Whether you are trying to cut back a little, a lot or give up soda completely, here are some substitutes you can try:

• Pellegrino or Perrier sparkling water
• Poland Spring plain or flavored sparkling water – Mandarin Orange; Lime; Raspberry-Lime; Lemon
• Seltzer mixed with 100% fruit juice, like cranberry juice, or flavor syrup like…
• Torani sugar-free flavor syrups for home use; Torani has a number of different flavors that you can use to make Italian sodas or any number of recipes available on their site

Need to take baby steps? Try GuS Grown-Up Sodas. The GuS website explains that GuS sodas are “100% natural, pasteurized and kosher, with no caffeine. And they're lightly sweetened with natural cane sugar, with only 90 - 98 calories in each 12oz. bottle.”