Drinking water is a great source of good health. Instead of having drinks containing sugar, caffeine, alcohol, whole milk or cream, quench your thirst with water. By washing toxins out of your body, it keeps you clean from the inside. It prevents stomach ulcers by diluting acid secretions in the stomach, and it prevents kidney stones and urinary infections by flushing kidneys and bladder. Water helps the body rid itself of excess fluid. It actually prevents fluid retention in the body - as long as there is no medical condition such as kidney disease.

It also improves your appearance as it hydrates your skin, preserving its youthful appearance, and it is cheaper and more effective than expensive creams and moisturisers. Drink at least two or three litres of water a day. You can't always eat as much food as you want when you're dieting, but you can drink water.

Because pollution is everywhere, in the ground, in the water and in the air, even "natural" spring water is not so natural any more, as it may be contaminated. Purified tap water is an inexpensive alternative to spring water, and a filter can extract chlorine and other harmful chemicals from our drinking water.

To burn fat, the body requires extra water, and drinking water stimulates our metabolism by speeding up the fat-burning process. Because drinking water before a meal leaves less room for food, it reduces our appetite and when we feel fuller, we are less likely to overeat.

During the passage of food, fibre absorbs water like a sponge, increasing bulk and softness of digested material. The end result is not difficult to imagine. Especially when combined with a high fibre diet, water prevents constipation, without irritating the bowel like laxatives do. Laxatives are harmful, and using them regularly causes rebound constipation. The bowel becomes lazy, and it loses its natural tone. Laxatives aggravate constipation, but water is a cheap cure without any negative side effects.

Water contains no calories and cannot be responsible for weight-gain. Due to mineral imbalances and overworked kidneys, an overweight body can retain a lot of water, which is why a lot of fat people complain about puffiness. Once your fat starts melting away, and toxins leave your body, this bloating will disappear. Some people fear that too much water will make them feel waterlogged. In fact the opposite is true, and unless you suffer from kidney disease, water does not increase oedema (swelling). On the contrary, it acts like a mild diuretic.

A lot of crash diets are successful for the first couple of weeks. We lose a lot of water to begin with, and we think we're doing well. High protein diets in particular create a lot of toxic by-products that have to be eliminated. Along with water, precious minerals are drained from the body, pulling even more fluid with them, and giving us the impression that our weight is dropping. The effect is short-lived though, as the body tends to replace very quickly any loss of water. Compensating mechanisms will soon restore the balance, and we will regain all those painfully lost kilograms, most likely as soon as our diet is over.

We may complain about the bland and boring taste of water, but drinking water is a habit everyone can adopt. Although water doesn't have any specific taste, it is very refreshing. Some people find herbal tea more appealing, but we have to be cautious with herbs, as not all are innocuous, and stick to the most common ones like mint or chamomile. A few drops of lemon juice can add zest to the water we drink, but we have to avoid lemonade and other soft drinks, as they are full of sugar.

Soft drinks (sodas) are probably one of the worst inventions of the modern age. They help overweight adults remain fat, and they are the cause of countless cases of obesity and tooth decay amongst children. Diet drinks containing artificial sweeteners are not recommended. Their long-term effects on our health have not been researched properly, and some of them are thought to be responsible for serious health problems.

Thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger, but food doesn't quench our thirst, only water does. To cool us down we may have soft drinks, ice cream or flavoured yoghurt, but sugar only makes us thirstier. Caffeine (found in coffee, tea and cola drinks) and alcohol are not good thirst quenchers either, as they drain water and minerals from the body. Flavoured milks like chocolate milk are too high in fat and sugar.

If you don't like water and have been used to tea or coffee, flavoured milks, cordial, juice, diet drinks and other drinks, it will take a bit of practice to switch to something else. Water, the purest of all drinks, is not only better for you; it is also a lot cheaper. To increase the amount of water you drink, start with one glass of water in the morning, and have another one every hour or so. You'll be amazed how much better you'll feel!

People who drink a lot of water are healthier than those who don't. Drinking water, like breathing is essential for life, and water is a fountain of youth available to everyone.

Strategies:

-Drink two or three litres of water a day.
-Drink water before meals to fill your stomach.
-Use water as a natural laxative.
-Use water as a natural diuretic.
-Avoid sweet drinks and diet drinks.
-Don't mistake thirst for hunger.
-Have a glass of water every hour.