Myth #8: Any Drink Will Do

I've heard all types of arguments against drinking plain water: "It tastes bland," "There's no minerals," "My doctor never talks about it," "Soda contains water, too," etc. The truth is that even 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is simply not enough if you want to live to a ripe old age.

Just look at countries like Singapore where water consumption is lowest. These places have the highest incidence of chronic renal disease, which is what happens when our kidneys have a hard time eliminating all the waste products in our blood. The kidneys work overtime and eventually fail because there's too little water to flush the toxins out.

Even if you drink lots of milk, cola, coffee, and iced tea, you may not be getting enough water for your body's metabolic needs. In fact, taking caffeinated and sugary drinks only makes you more dehydrated, drawing out more water from your blood than it adds to it. In order to stay healthy, you need to make an effort to drink at least 8 glasses, or 2 liters, of water daily.

To find out more about the benefits of drinking water, check out these Health Tips for Beginners. Stay tuned.