Drinking more water: its all in the packaging

So, its been a week since the initiation of this challenge, and let me tell you -- it ain't easy. Its been done, but man has it been a chore.

But I must say, the magic is in your water bottle. It really is a pesky little task to keep track of how much you drink throughout the day, so with the help of a good bottle you can avoid those days where you end up getting wrapped up in work and forgetting about hydrating yourself. A good bottle forces you to monitor your intake as the remaining water quote stares you right in the face. Its also much more simple, and armed with a 1.2 litre water container, I know I simply need to drink two bottlefuls to know I have reached my daily target.

Personally, I opted for a Klean Kanteen myself, as it is stainless steel, and unlike the popular Siggoi bottle, it does not have a patented lining on an aluminum body. The Siggoi manufacturer keeps this patented lining's content top-secret and there has been talk that it is made up of plastic containing bisphenol-a. And while these trendy designer bottles come in many groovy patterns, I opt away from being exposed to endocrine distrupters.




I heart my Klean Kanteen mostly because it is so light in weight. As I drink up, it only gets lighter, and I no longer feel like I am carrying around a 5 pound weight (another incentive to drink that H2O). Mine was $25.95 CAN, and I ended up purchasing two allowing me to alternate them so I can ensure I always have a sterilized bottle. (I'm a bit of a germaphobe and clean anything which holds aqueous solutions for long periods of time with a swish of water and iodine or run it through the dishwasher's heat. This is what happens when you work with natural skincare for years and see how easily plant waters mold.)

But for those of you who don't want to spend more than fifty bucks on water containers, you can simply buy a bottle of Voss water. This Norwegan water company puts their water in a a glass bottle which is super space-efficent, as it slips perfectly in any bag due to its perfectly cylindrical shape. Its only $5.95 (I read online that you can find it even cheaper) and holds up to 800 ml - but is much heavier than the Klean Kanteen because of its glass make up. But the sleek design may be worth it, move over Evian and Perrier, the bottles from the future are here. I feel like I should be putting a scroll in them and sending them down a pipe.
But when the weather is cold (like it was this week in Toronto) some of us prefer to consume warm liquids. I myself am a big wimp when it comes to the cold; and drinking cool water in this weather repels me from drinking water even more.

According to Ayurveda we really should never be drinking cold water as it is bad for our digestion (agni). Room temperature is as cold as our drinks should get, and hot water is best as it is anti-kapha and melts internal toxins. But I cannot find a good litre large thermos. The Eco Flask is too small, and the best I could find was a Starbucks refillable which was just under 500ml.

Ah well, because I work in many different locations and always on-the-go, I don't have the luxury of an office kitchen, so it works out that I get something that Starbucks will service me through. I tried filling my Klean Kanteen with warm water at the beginning of the day, and the heat with the steel almost burned my hands. Duh. While I may be more hydrated, I will say that it has not made me any more alert.