I may be one of the few to avoid a cold and flu this winter (at least so far). But, we hear coughing, sneezing and the blowing of noses all around us these days. Regardless of what may afflict you, one of the remedies is lots and lots of water. Common wisdom is to drink eight cups of water each day. But that is a lot of water and may seem daunting. In chatting with my company’s nurse, she recommended a few suggestions to make the task easier and will go a long way toward keeping your body healthy.
1. When at a restaurant (or home), order water with a lemon.
2. Drink and drive – While we don’t want to be distracted while driving but keep a bottle in your car and sip as you drive.
3. Tap water filters – Sometimes city water can be unpleasant. So, put a filter on your faucet and make it tastier.
4. Be a water snob – there are lots of brands of water from Poland Spring to Perrier to local springs. Pick the one you like best and drink to your health.
5. Many of us are exercising more so be sure to reward your body with lots of water during and after.
6. Flavor of the month – A new option is some very tasty fruit flavored waters. I can drink so much more water if there is some fruit appeal… and few to no calories.
7. Water bottles – Most of us have a favorite water bottle – the one that is the right, size, shape and feel. When I travel to Haiti each spring, I bring my favorite
8. Sip – In 24 hours, there is plenty of time to get it all in. You don’t have to gulp the water down in one go. You can actually sit or stop at water fountains for small doses. It all adds up.
Being hydrated is important year round. But, during the cold and flu season it is absolutely necessary. While it is not always easy to drink 8 cups of water each day, try a few of these tricks and you will not only stay hydrated but it will lessen your desire to eat more food. What are your favorite ways to consume water? Please share below!
Peter Geiger is the Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. 
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.
3 comments
One informative article on hydration that I saw a while ago was titled, “Chew Your Water,” and pointed out that water contained IN food counts, too. I like reminding myself of that.
I never get water or tea with lemon. Don’t know if lemon has been washed properly (or at all)!!
Try to avoid water fountains during the height of flu season <3
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