Getting the right amount of water a day doesn't have to be hard, especially with this deliciously sweet strawberry mint water. It's easy to make and tasty too. All it takes are fresh strawberries, a few mint leaves and some water. So refreshing!

Water! Water makes up about 60 percent of our body weight and every part of our system depends upon that water. We use water to flush toxins out of organs, transport nutrients to cells and to breakdown our food. It also regulates our body temperature, lubricates around joints, eliminates waste and works as a shock absorber for eyes, brain and spinal cord.

75% of people do not get enough water each day

Lack of water can lead to lack of energy and general tiredness, which none of us have time for, yet almost 75% of us are dehydrated most of the time. Even being mildly dehydrated can slow the metabolism by as much as 3% and cause short-term memory problems resulting in difficulty focusing (like on a computer screen).

So how much water (or beverages & foods that contain water) should you be drinking? Well, the Institute of Medicine says that a man should have 13 cups a day while a woman should have about 9 cups. Holy cow!

Now the good news is that when drinking even 5 glasses of water a day you can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79% and bladder cancer by 50%. And by drinking the recommended amount you can significantly ease back and joint pain, which is especially important as you get older.

All those interesting facts above lead me to this infused strawberry mint water recipe and the suggestions for other flavored waters that I am writing about today. It is hard to get that many liquids into your body a day unless you stand over the sink and just keep pouring water down your throat. Sounds pleasant doesn't it? ugh! Well, besides my other favorite beverage, coffee, it is easier to drink my 7 or so glasses of water if it has a little flavor in it. Not only do these easy-to-make yummy waters provide that all important substance but give you some incidental vitamins and minerals too.

I'd love to hear about any flavored waters that you have concocted. Just drop me a comment below and we'll share with our fellow water-deprived humans. So drink up and enjoy!

More Ways to Stay Hydrated

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea from 2 Cookin Mamas

Mango Iced Tea from Flour On My Face

Peach Lemonade from 2 Cookin Mamas