Now that summer is in full swing, you know there’s nothing like a cool glass of water on a hot day. As the days heat up, it’s even more important to stay hydrated and drink more water.

Why do we need to drink more water?

Water has many so many benefits. It:
– Regulates your body temperature
– Provides cushion for your joints
– Helps get rid of toxins in your body
– Improves your thinking

Did you know? A study of sixth grade students found that their performance on cognitive tests was impacted by whether they were dehydrated or not. ¹

How much water should you drink?

According to the Institute of Medicine, adult males need about 12 cups per day, and adult females need about 9 cups of water per day.* ²

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends recommends 6-8 cups of water for children, depending on the child’s age, weight, sex, and activity level.

We know that most of us should drink more water. The Harvard School of Public Health found that most children are not drinking enough water. ³

How to drink more water

Here are seven easy tips to drink more water. Hopefully, following these tips will make water more fun and easy to drink.

1. Add fruit (or veggies!) to water.

Add a bunch of frozen berries to your glass or to a pitcher – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries will add flavor and a pleasant color to your water. Slices of citrus like lime, lemon, orange and grapefruit will make your water feel wonderfully fresh. Make spa water using slices of cooling cucumber.

2. Chill water in the fridge.

Keep a pitcher full of water in the fridge. This will further entice you to drink more water.

3. Make ice from your favorite herbal tea and add to water.

Adding ice cubes to your water cools it down. How about adding flavor from your favorite herbal tea? I enjoy making a few cups of mint, ginger, or raspberry tea. After it cools, I poor it into an ice tray and freeze it. Adding a few cubes of herbal ice really adds interesting flavor to my water – and I get the benefits of the herbal tea!

4. Use a water filter system.

While tap water in the US is fine to drink by itself (it’s regulated), some people enjoy installing a filter system because it may improve the taste. Right now, we use a GE SmartWater System. In the past we have used PUR Filters and Brita.

5. Enjoy bubbles in your water.

Setzer water adds pizzaz to your water. The bubbles add a great texture – and you can buy seltzer in many different flavors.

6. Keep a water bottle nearby.

I drink so much more water when it is constantly available to me. I keep a Klean Kanteen water bottle with me at all times, and my goal is to drink 3 full bottles during the day.

7. Infuse your water with fresh herbs.

Tear up mint, basil, or lavender and add the fresh herbs to your water. A combination of fruits and herbs really amps up the flavors in your water to make it more enjoyable to drink!

How do you drink more water?

Let us know in the comments!

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