On the Waterfront

Hello there,

I am proud to say I am now a water drinker. I do not drink 64 ounces a day, but I'm getting there. One of my water habits is to have a drink first thing in the morning. Most of the time I have 2 glasses. I have a glass or two before lunch and dinner. I have also started drinking water if I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Crazy? Well, I am using the WW Method. WW as in Whatever Works. Thanks to Rose for this idea. She mentioned that she does this in one of her comments. So now, like Rose, I am a middle of the night sipper. Talk about the power of suggestion.

While thinking about water consumption, it occurred to me that some people  do not like the "taste" of water. However, there are things we can do to alter the taste and form of our water. The easiest is to add a squeeze of juice from a fresh lemon, orange or lime.  How about crushing a fresh mint leaf or two into a glass filled with ice and sparkling water. I'll bet the lime or lemon and mint are good combinations. Could other herbs work?  If we can drink lavender martinis, can we drink Lavender water? As much as I adore (yes, adore) lavender, I think I will pass on that idea. But here is something I can recommend: Torani Syrup and DaVinci Sugar Free Syrup There are just a few things to remember about using these syrups. One is that it is much healthier to choose a sugar free flavor. The second thing is that you want to use just a splash of flavor. Finally, don't expect the white chocolate to taste like some super-duper white chocolate mocha java frappe with extra whipped cream. If you mix the root beer and vanilla, you will not have the exact duplicate of a root beer float. You are looking for a pleasant hint of taste that will make the water palatable.

Another idea came from Vera. Vera and her husband use the Soda Stream to make their own seltzer water. That is a great idea. Thanks Vera. The Soda Stream sounds like a real money saver for those who enjoy sparkling water.

Now for the form of water. Some people like chewing or sucking on ice cubes. I am not one of them. Inhaling steam won't do it either. What I do happen to have and enjoy is my Snowman Ice Shaver. I love this machine. We have used it for cocktailsas well as water ice (if you grew up in Philadelphia, a snow cone was called water ice). This is probably not the best time of year to recommend an  ice shaving machine, but if you enjoy a frozen daquiri, the Snowman Ice Shaver can also help you increase your intake of water, especially if you add a splash (a splash is NOT a teaspoon) of Torani or DaVinci sugar-free syrup. Or you can order sugar-free Fuzzy Navel or Strawberry Daquiri flavors on line. These are non-alcoholic flavors, by the way.

Finally, do you add ice to your water or not? Most people I know must have cold water or a tall frosty glass of water full of ice cubes before they will even think about drinking it. I can drink my water at room temperature; it seems to go down easier. Warm water does not appeal to me at all unless it is in a bathtub. However, warm water and lemon juice is supposedly a very healthy way to start your day. Now there is even a food plan based on starting your day with a glass of warm water and lemon juice.

Thanks to Ruth and Vera once again for their ideas. More of your ideas on other topics will be posted soon. So please send them or post them. Keep drinking! Water, that is. Thanks for reading along.
Marie