NRNM: H2O

In fierce opposition to the ADA’s National Nutrition Month, I’m doing my own advocacy with National REAL Nutrition Month. Throughout March, I’ll post ideas and tips for something you can do to improve your own health habits, along with stuff you can do to painlessly share what you know with the people you love. (All the posts thus far are right here, or click the “National REAL Nutrition Month” label below.)

NRNM: H2O

I know! I know! Drinking water feels like kind of a “no, duh” idea… except ask yourself: how much water did you drink yesterday?

I’ll tell you how much I drank: 2 cups of coffee at the Cowboy Breakfast and three-quarters of the water bottle I keep on my desk, plus a cup of Natural Calm before bed. That seems like not quite enough.

But let’s focus on the positive. Instead of browbeating you, I’m going to woo you.

Here’s a list of lovely things water does for you:

Manages appetite: Thirst is a Faker McFakerson: it often masquerades itself as hunger. Drink plenty of water, and you’ll know when your hunger is real.

Helps skin glow: One of the many benefits of eating clean is glowing, healthy skin, and water plays a big part in keeping your skin looking dewy and fresh. 

Maintains digestive health: I don’t want to be indelicate, but we need fluids to help our awesome fuel sources move through our systems. Keep those pipes clean, if you know what I mean.

Banishes bloat: It’s counter-intuitive, but the more water you drink, the less you retain.

Fights heart attack: A six-year study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (May 2002) found that people who drank more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack than the 2-glass-a-day people. This kind of thing always makes me wonder if it wasn’t the test subjects other, associated good behavior that got that result, but whatever. Water is good for us, so I’m not arguing.

Delivers super-duper energy power: Your internal batteries will feel like they’re running down if you’re dehydrated from exercise, the weather, or simply being under-watered. Particularly on humid, hot days – and colder-than-normal days, too – it’s essential to drink water to replace fluids lost to sweat and the environment.

Hones bathroom-finding skills: I often joke that I can intuitively find the restroom in any public location. That’s because I usually drink so much water, I had to develop an internal Restroom Navigation System (RNS)™. Drop me in any amusement park, shopping mall, big box store, or foreign city, and I’ll find you a restroom within 90 seconds.

Tip For You
If you’re not a plain water drinker yet, now is an excellent time to start. Use the suggestions for Near & Dear below to help you make the transition.

If you’re already a plain water drinker like me – and, like me, forget sometimes to drink enough – I want you to carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go this weekend. And drink up!


Tip For Your Near & Dear
Giving up flavored drinks can be really difficult. Just ask anyone with a Diet Coke addiction! Or worse, an afternoon Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper habit.

The sugar. The flavor…. it can seem nearly impossible to give up.

So be gentle when you share the above list of cool stuff about water with your loved ones. Then offer an alternative to their sugary favorite that’s maybe not quite so austere as a sparkling glass of plain ‘ol water. You might try a nice fizzy water with slices of lemon and lime… or a lovely herbal tea, brewed and chilled, then served over ice with a mint leaf. There are lots of ideas for good herbal blends in this post; be sure to read the comments for more suggestions.

Eventually, you might lead your near & dear to water, but you can’t make them drink. (Sorry! I couldn’t stop myself.)

OMG. This is NOT Smudge. This is a random internet cat drinking water. But how much does this look like our Smudge?!

Compare!

The one, the only, the Smudge.

Smudge says: Drink your water!