We all know we should be drinking more water for optimal health. Sure, it’ll help dispel fake hunger pangs, keep the weight off and fight constipation, but did you know that water also helps improve memory, sharpen focus and clear out brain fog? Interestingly All though experts can’t seem to agree upon the exact amount of water that makes up the brain, one thing that can be agreed upon is we all need adequate amount of water to help brain function. The brain is made up of somewhere between 75%-80% water, depending on who you talk to. The brain has over 14 billion brain cells that are made up of 75% water. The brain is the first organ that is affected by lack of water. Since our brain controls everything in our body, lack of proper nutrients to the brain throws everything off! Dehydration of the brain restricts the blood flow and oxygen going to the brain which affects memory, mood, concentration and focus. Symptoms of dehydration of the brain can cause: Headaches Brain Fog Fatigue Short attention span Confusion Feeling emotional Enough is enough So how much water is enough? A quick easy way to measure how much water a person should be drinking, is to take the weight and divide it by 2. That’s a good estimate of how much water should be downed in a day. If you weigh 130 pounds, you’ll need to sip on roughly 65 oz of water throughout the day. Do this The best time to drink water is first thing in the morning. Unless you wake up and drink water through the night, we wake up and need fresh water to replenish what we depleted through the night. The absolute best thing you can do to kick start the entire body in the morning is drink 8-16 oz. within the first 30 minutes you are awake. Don’t do this The worst time to drink a lot of water is during a meal. Drinking too much water weakens the stomach acid working to break up the food that is eaten. Tea, which is actually considered a food, is better to enjoy with a meal. Herbal Teas, without lots of added sugar, can compliment the meal. Peppermint, Dandelion and Licorice are excellent choices as they help aid in the digestion of food! Get the kids on board! Do you struggle with getting your kids to drink enough water? Try letting them pick out a special water bottle just for them. Not only can they take their water wherever they go, but the amount they are drinking can be monitored! Set a good example for the kiddos and get your own water bottle and sip on it all day long. Make a game out of it. Each get an empty gallon bottle. Measure out the correct amount of water each person needs to drink in a day. See who drinks their set amount at the end of the day. Make mine a spritz! Not crazy about drinking plain water all day long? Get creative! Get a glass jar, add water and your favorite items from the list below, put it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, depending on the strength of the flavor you like and before long, you’ll have a drink that tastes and looks refreshing! Serve it to yourself in a special glass, like a wine glass, and you’ll feel and look fancy! Have fun with it! Water doesn’t have to be boring. Fruit infused water- lemon, strawberry, orange, lime Vanilla Bean in water Herbs in water mint, rosemary, lemongrass Try my favorite flavored water recipe here ….. Make your own concoctions and share below! I’d love to hear your favorites!