Michelle Obama reminds us to Drink UP water

Michelle Obama had expanded her mission to promote healthy choices to children. We know that she has focused on getting kids more active and then choosing more fruits and vegetables.

Now she is taking a stand on beverages.  She has started a new campaign, Drink Up, that asks children to drink more water.  

There has been some criticisms of her campaign as it is heavily supported by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo etc.  Well, these companies, mostly known for their soda production, are also the companies that sell bottled water.  

But lets not get off topic.  We need to encourage children to drink more water in place of sugary drinks.  I think this is the key message.  We want to help children replace current sugary drinks with water.  Now that will be the real win.

Remember, water comes in several forms:

• tap water (free no cost)
• filtered water (you can add the fitter to your tap or to your water pitcher at an extra cost)
• Delivered water programs like Alhambra (at a cost)
• bottled water
• bottle your own spring water (if you are lucky enough to be near a clean natural spring)

Which way you choose your water is a personal choice with different factors to consider.  Me, personally, I try to stay away from buying bottled water and use the Brita filtration system for my water.  Where I live, we do not have hard water and the water actually has a good taste.  So I just use a filter for my pitcher and refill it right from the tap.

My son, though, chose to buy bottled water for several reasons.  His water from the tap was hard water and did not have a good taste.  Because he was taking the bus to and from college and work, it was just more convenient. and quick to have bottled water handy.

My daughter and her husband chose the delivered water program.  They liked using their sports water bottle to bring to and from work and they also like the convenience of always having water ice cold.

No judgment from me.  I think the important thing is what works for you and your lifestyle and budget.  But increasing your water consumption is a very healthy habit that you will want to share with your child. 

I try to drink 3 quarts of water a day and that leaves only room for 1 cup of coffee in the morning.  I really don't have room to drink anything else.

I can tell you that since I have moved to drinking water, my taste buds have changed.  I can barely stand the chemically taste of a soda now.  Fruit juices taste too sweet.  Nothing tastes more satisfying to me than water.  I actually crave it.  So does other friends and family members who have moved towards water.

It might be a gradual change.  Increase your water drinking by replacing one drink and then gradually replace more until water is your family's main beverage.

So Drink UP!  Thank you Michelle Obama for reminding us about the importance of drinking more water.

One last thing, if you buy bottled water, please remember to recycle!