Water does a lot of things for our body.

• It stops us from getting too hot or too cold
• It makes it easier for our joints and tissues to stay moving well
• It helps with digestion
• It keeps your skin healthy

Water also doesn't have any calories, so it's the perfect guilt free drink, but a big question many people ask is, "how much water do I need to drink each day?"

It's a well-known fact we all need to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but new research is suggesting we need more.

The U.S National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine say men should be drinking 15 and a half cups of water a day, while women should drink 11 and a half cups a day.

Now, keep in mind this includes fluids from all sources, including food. In fact, about 20% of our fluid intake comes from foods that have a lot of water in them like fruits and vegetables.

For those of you who don't like drinking plain water, here are a few things you can do to make it more interesting:

Add fruit to your water

Adding fresh fruit like lemon, strawberries, or oranges to your water can add a little flavor and color to your glass. You can also try adding cucumber or mint to change the flavors. There are lots of different possibilities.

Make it sparkling

Sparkling water can be a fun alternative to plain water. You could also think about adding a splash of whole fruit juice to your sparkling water to give it some flavor.

Challenge yourself

Set a goal with yourself each day. If you meet your water drinking goals for a set number of days, you can reward yourself.

If you'd like to learn more about how water intake can improve your health, book an appointment with a Lifestyle Medicine provider.