No, no, no, not crystal meth  — crystal light! Yes, HI, my name is Kerri.  I’m a Crystal Light addict and I’d like to recruit you!

For those of you in the dark, Crystal Light is sweet, colorful, little, no calorie, granules that come in various size packages. It actually looks like the Kool-Aid we used to drink when we were kids. You simply pour an individual packet into your water bottle or a cup size portion into a pitcher and voila! Your plain old water becomes a tasty zero calorie treat.

Since I started using Crystal Light six months ago my h-two-o intake has increased tenfold. I am well into an 80 ounces a day habit, and I am proud to report that all this water drinking has made a significant difference in my appearance and overall health.  I love the stuff! So after noticing what my new addiction has done for me I did a little fact finding to uncover the certifiable bene’s of Adam’s ale.

1. Headaches are history.

Dehydration, the lack of sufficient fluids in our system, is the leading cause of headaches, migraines, chronic fatigue and depression.  When it comes to feeding the hydration need, unfortunately caffeinated drinks and sodas don’t make the cut, water is the elixir of choice.  It is a fact that 85% of our brain tissue contains water so drinking the liquid is good for your head. The more water you drink the better your brain will function.

2. Ninety-eight.seven steady.

Keeping your body cool is essential for good health and drinking water is one of the best ways to maintain a steady body temp.  Everything from breathing, sweating to pooping will deplete you body of fluids that can lead to overheating, nausea and fainting. To keep your system at peak performance you need to replenish your water loss frequently. It’s good to hydrate before, during and after a workout. Drink 8 to 10 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before exercise, and another 8 to 10 ounces in the 30 minutes following an exercise session. Three to 6 ounces every 15 minutes during your exercise routine will help replenish water loss. And for those of us going through the “change” night sweats can be an uncomfortable daily drama. Good news drinking water can reduce the onset of hot flashes.

3. Weight loss is inevitable… are you listening people!!

Drinking water is the easiest essential to any diet. Studies have shown that the sensation of thirst and hunger are triggered together. So if you are even the slightest bit dehydrated your body could misinterpret the need for water as hunger.  You will tend to eat instead of drink. Which not only doesn’t satisfy your thirst it also increases your calorie intake. Downing an eight ounce glass of water before every meal will can lessen this effect.

4. Get your glow on

Water regulates the skin’s natural balance, because it hydrates, revitalizes, detoxifies and oxygenates.  Basically, water helps to absorb and carry all the healthy nutrients from the food we eat to our skin cells and hence the glow.

5. Boost your metabolism

Metabolism and digestion is how our bodies turn the food we eat into energy. A high metabolism is the first line of defense when it comes to weight control.  The more quickly our bodies can absorb the healthy nutrients and get rid of the waste in the food we eat, the leaner and healthier we will be. Water speeds up the digestion process and ups your metabolism. Shwing..weight loss!

6. Tossing toxins

The main function of our kidney is to flush out toxins and remove the waste from our body that makes us feel sluggish and ill. Water primarily moves through our kidney. The more agua you drink, the more you will help to hasten this cleansing process.  By removing harmful toxins like uric acid, lactic acid and urea, water keeps us pollution free.

And finally

if all that doesn’t convince you about the power of H-two-O

how about this!

Researchers at the Loma Linda University in California studied more than 20,000 healthy men and women and found that people who drank more than five eight ounce glasses of water a day are less likely to die from a heart attack than people who drink less than two.

Viva la Agua. Long Live Crystal Light