As we head towards the festive season where we tend to over indulge in eating and drinking, it maybe wise to get a head start to a healthier lifestyle to cope with Christmas meals, entertaining and late nights. Did you know there is a new health drink that can help you lose weight, metabolize fat, improve blood circulation, and promote better skin, concentration, performance and digestion! And it’s cheap and readily available! It is water — and chances are you are not drinking enough of it each day to reap the numerous health benefits. The general rule, we are told, is to drink at eight standard glasses of water regularly spaced out through the day; although this volume can change if you are exercising, sick, pregnant or breastfeeding. Ideally that’s eight glasses an hour if you work an eight-hour day.  Try our free handy ‘drink more water’ app that reminds you when to drink so you can monitor your intake and be reminded. Whether at school, college or in the workplace, providing access to fresh, chilled and filtered drinking water that tastes good, is imperative. Drinking water fountains in school corridors, high volume coolers to re-fill sports bottles or contemporary stylish water coolers in the office and break out rooms, encourages kids and staff to drink more water and realise it’s importance. That importance starts with helping the body maintain proper hydration. The body looses fluid throughout the day, from sweating to urination and a variety of other ways. It is important to replace that fluid to avoid dehydration, which can cause a variety of health issues, such as headaches and muscle cramps and even some more severe long-term effects such as kidney damage. Water is the original, most natural sugar- and calorie-free beverage available. Fizzy pop and sugary drinks may taste better, but they are filled with so many things that aren’t good for us. Hidden calories in drinks can really affect weight management; even fruit juices contain high levels of naturally occurring sugars that are OK in moderation, but it’s not recommended to have more than 200ml a day, which usually covers your suggested serving of fruit for the day, if you are concerned about blood sugar levels. To see if your body needs more water, check the following pointers. If your urine is dark or has a strong odour, it can be a sign that you need more hydration. Listen to your body; if you are thirsty, drink more water. Chilled and filtered water quenches thirst and tastes great. Infuse your glass with fresh fruit pieces, mint, and ice if you want to jazz it up. Wishing you a happy and festive December.