How to improve your life PART 1: Liquids

Why should you listen to me? Because I want to improve my life as well. Welcome to how to improve your life slowely and steadily instead of rushing and stressing about things that aren't right in your life. As a matter of fact, I've written here a few of these, here's part 2 on exercise! and here's part 3 on reading!

The first step, in my book is to start drinking the right liquids. Put down that soft drink! Get reading and get drinking...

Here's the first step. What not to drink when you're thirsty.

1. Soft drinks

Bad for your teeth, bad for your brain, might give you a sugar rush to get you started but these are plain bad. Did you know that if you put a tooth in a glass of coke for a week, there won't be much left when you go back to look at it? Soft drinks are bad. Stop drinking them! Stop spending money on valueless things that will do nothing for your life. Drinking too much causes diabetes and weight gain. Soft drinks have also been proven to weaken your bones by reducing the calcium in your bones because of the phosphuric acid that is usually found in soft drinks. These are bad bad bad.

2. Beer and wine

Stop drinking beer. Have the odd one here and there on a Saturday or Friday but why on earth are you drinking a beer every day? I know this might not apply to everyone but beer is bad. Two words. Liver disease. Beer is like drinking poison to your liver. Alcohol is also addictive, causing mental depression in some people eventually and leading to severe changes in lifestyle because of the addiction.

1 glass of wine is meant to be good for you right? Wrong. Both of the good things found in wine (Resveratol and Quercetin) can also be found in fruit and vegetables, which would not only stop the risks of alcohol affect you, but also allow you to absorb vital minerals and vitamins your body should be getting.

3. Tea and Coffee

Tea and coffee. Research shows that the most effective way of waking up in the morning is eating an apple. Why do we all grab a double espresso to wake ourselves up then? Is it because of the taste? Is it because of the flavour? No, its probably because we're mildy addicted! Tea and coffee are both bad for your teeth, bad for your sleep and bad for you in general. Don't drink coffee even if your local newspaper tells you it stops cancer. Not good for you.

1. Water

Don't waste your money on bottled water. Research shows that tap water is clean and good enough to drink and give to your children. As a matter of fact, it might even be better than bottled water because of the fact that it might help build up a better immune system. If you like the taste of bottled water, go ahead then, it doesn't really matter. Water is good. I could go on to explain all the benefits of water but let me start off by saying this, up to 70% of your body is water. That in itself, should tell you why you need to drink water. But let me go on to say, if you drink 2 pints of water everyday for 2 months, at the end of the 2 months, you will feel a lot better and a little bit healthier. Water is proven to be good for your skin, reducing acne and spots and helping revitalise us without the need for sugary energy drinks.

2. Fruit Juice

Invest in a juice maker. My dad loves making different cocktails with all the different fruits he buys. Fruit is the best, a glass of juice counts towards one of your five a day and also helps in waking up in the morning or clenching your thirst. Of course, eating a fruit is better for you, but when you're thirsty, fruit juice can help. You get some of those vitamins and darker juices such as cranberry and grape contain antitoxidants which could help you beat cancer and other diseases.

3. Milk

This one is especially for those who have children growing up or in the middle of puberty. Give them milk. We all started off drinking milk, so why not continue? Milk tastes great and, unless you're lactose intolerant, milk is also great for us. Many people undervalue the benefits of milk, which include a reduction in teeth related problems, no extra pounds (milk doesn't contribute any fat, as a matter of fact, it's been proven that people who drink milk stay slimmer then those who don't), milk contains nutrients that our body needs to function properly and finally, milk is a great stress reliever. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself, drink a glass of milk every night before going to sleep and tell me how much better you feel after a week.

Just ask Usher.