Many of us would agree (even without fully understanding) that there are lots of health benefits of water. I'm sure we've all heard time and again that we should drink plenty of water and that we probably aren't drinking enough. But what is enough? And with so many options (tap, spring, bottled, filtered, etc.) what kind is best?

1.  There are several "rules of thumb" that make answering the "What's enough?" question easier. First, your urine should be almost clear and should not have a strong odor. If this is the case, you probably are getting enough water. If this is NOT the case, you definitely should drink more water. If you want a more precise measure, try committing to drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water a day if your're not active and 2/3 your body weight if you're an athlete. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces (or approx. 107 ounces for athletes) of water each day. A typical commercial bottled water product is around 17 ounces so that equates to about 5 of those each day for your average couch potato. More if you exercise.

So what are the benefits of water and why do we really need so much of it anyway? Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Every day you lose water through breathing, perspiration, urine and bowel movements -- about 2.5 liters for the average adult. Failing to take in more water than your body uses can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration — as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight — can sap your energy and make you tired.  More serious dehydration  can be life-threatening, so drink up!

2.  Ok, so you're drinking a good amount of water. Is it the right kind? What in the world is the "right kind"? I'm glad you asked! First of all, one of our major goals should be to decrease the amount of synthetic chemicals -- which are toxic to our bodies and spirits -- we expose ourselves to. With that said, tap water is full of chemicals, primarily chlorine and fluoride which are both extremely toxic. For example, chlorine causes scarring of the arteries which is a large factor in arteriosclerosis and heart disease. (Contact us for more on this or keep your eyes on future tips). So tap water is NOT the best way to go. Spring or distilled water is a better option, filtered or purified. We have a water cooler in our home (you know, those big jugs on top of a refrigerated unit found in many offices) which works for us.  We have also used a filter on our facets. The best option to get the full benefits of water (albeit the most expensive) is to fit your entire home with a reverse osmosis water filtration system.

Believe it or not, however, drinking water isn't the biggest problem -- your shower is! Did you know that we absorb more toxins by taking a shower than by drinking 5 glasses of water?! After all, the skin is the largest organ in the body and just think about how long you typically spend in the shower: a nice hot, steamy shower. So hot that some of that water turns to steam releasing toxins into the air which you now breathe in. So now you've turned your bathroom into a nice gas chamber! But don't fret - just get a good shower head filter.  They're available at most home improvement stores and don't cost much, typically $20-$50.

These are small steps you can take to make sure you and your family get the full benefits of water, the right amount and good quality. After all, water is one of the most important elements for life!