Like the famous hip hop star Jay Z says in one of his songs, “H to the O!” (I’m sure that’s not what he meant but it works for the purpose of this article). Everyday in our clinic the importance of water has become a mantra. We hear so much about how our body is made primarily of water and that we need to drink lots. What is lots? Some say 8 cups a day, others say 64 ounces a day, some say just keep drinking until your urine is clear. Well I’d have to agree the closest with the latter, but how do you get there without inspecting your urine constantly?

Here is the simple formula to follow in relation to water:

Drink 1/2 Your body weight in ounces every day. Therefore if you weigh 100 lbs, you should drink 50 ounces of water.

In addition to that for any beverage you drink that isn’t water you need to drink that much more water. For example, if you have a 20 ounce cup of coffee in the morning you must add 20 more ounces of water to your daily quota. THIS GOES FOR ANY BEVERAGE THAT ISN’T WATER.

Use this diet to take a load off of your pancreas, kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract.

Here is what you should avoid:

Processed foods
Any food that contains genetically modified ingredients, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors or anything you cannot pronounce.

Starches and grains
Pasta, Potatoes, Breads, Cereals and anything with gluten content.

Juices and soft drinks
Water and teas are the only acceptable beverage, juice is a waste of energy they usually contain processed sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Here is what you should upload into your life:

Highlight the boxes as you go and CELEBRATE your accomplishment!