Start Drinking Water

When you think about nutrition, do you think about water? Water is actually the most vital nutrient in our diets — being even just a little dehydrated can cause you to feel tired, weak, dizzy, and headachy, whereas getting enough water can help prevent serious conditions like kidney stones and certain cancers. That's why getting enough fluid in your body is a cornerstone of the Healthy Living. Today's small change is to make sure that you're getting enough water — at least five glasses a day. You've probably heard the traditional nutrition advice that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. However, this is not completely accurate — fluid needs are very individual. According to the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board, most men need to drink about 13 cups of fluid a day, and most women should aim to drink about nine cups a day. Plenty of liquids can count toward that grand total: Juices, milk, smoothies, sports drinks, soft drinks, and even caffeinated and alcoholic beverages contain water and count toward your total water intake but it is not the best option, a better choice is to aim for foods high in water density like watermelon, pineapple, melon. At least there is a nutrition component to them. But water itself is the best beverage. It's absorbed quickly, it's calorie-free, and many studies have shown that it has an edge over other drinks when it comes to disease prevention. That's why it's a good idea to get at least half your daily fluid needs in the form of water itself. For women, that rounds off to about five cups a day, and for men, seven cups a day. One easy way to make sure you drink enough water is to carry a reusable water bottle with you. That way, you'll always have water on hand when you're thirsty, and you can keep tabs on your water intake by noting how many times you refill the bottle in a day.