Our bodies need water more than ever. The recommended daily amount is 64 ounces. Most tall drinking glasses are sized about 12 ounces and individual plastic bottles are about 20 ounces. It is known that 75 percent of people are chronically dehydrated. And watch out! Dehydration is serious. Lack of water is the number one trigger for daytime fatigue. Even mild dehydration will slow down ones metabolism by as much as 3 percent. A mere 2 percent drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty facing the computer screen.

It is vital that we drink water before we even feel thirsty because thirst is already and indication that we are dehydrated. A lot of people even mistake their thirst for hunger, and about 37 percent of us do this constantly. A glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100 percent of dieters who participated in a study.

Moreover, preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of the sufferers. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79percent, and one is 50percent less likely to develop bladder cancer. Water clears the skin and flushes our impurities better than any other cosmetic. There are no negative side effects drinking too much water.

For some people, water is just too plain. A few lemon slices can go a long way. Nowadays, some beverage companies, have gone a step further – and flavored water, with different colors, and attractive bottles.

While plain water is always the best choice for health, flavored waters can count glass-for-glass towards the daily requirement, says a spokesperson from a beverage outfit. There are many brands of flavored water available today and vitamin filled, too. Some of bottles of it, can even be substituted for a bottle of dextrose.

So to drink or not to drink? Drink. Drink lots of water, for a healthy lifestyle.