Ok, so I need to fess up. There’s something I have not been straight up about…wine is not my favorite drink. Water is. As passionate as I am about tasting wine, understanding where it’s born, the hands that touch it, the magic of making it, when it comes down to percentages, there’s no denying it, my per capita water consumption outweighs wine 10:1.

Actually, come to think of it, I don’t really drink anything other than wine and water—no coffee, juice, soft drinks, maybe an occasional martini or beer. Since I upped my water consumption this year, I feel better. I think clearer. My skin looks amazing. I don’t get headaches, nor hangovers, for that matter.

I am going to share a few of the easy things that I implemented, without much effort, to transform a lazy water sipper to a power drinker.

Get a 32 ounce/1 liter water bottle: In March, while at the Cliffs Preserve in Patagonia, they outfitted us with a sturdy Nalgene bottle for the daily excursions. Since then, it has never left my hands. At first, the bottle was a convenience when traveling to avoid paying for water and wasting plastic. However, soon, low and behold, I was drinking 3+ liters per day with no problem. I just keep the bottle around and I drink only from that (yes, you have to wash it!).

Buy a Brita filter : Tap water is pretty disgusting in most places between sediments, minerals, and scuzzy plumbing. In Chile, we have very hard water with a high concentration of flouride so guzzling liters of unfilted H2O is not exactly healthy. Invest in a good water filter. Brita is the easiest solution and can be found everywhere. Keep it in the frig which tastes better than lukewarm water which I find is reminscent of a bathtub (ick!).

Freshen up: In the Chilean countryside, people freshen up spring water with herbs like mint, melissa/Chilean mint, and my favorite, lemon verbena. Aromatic and flavorful, it turns a neutral flavor (read: boring) into more of a beverage. You can also experiment with citrics like lime, lemon, and orange although the acidity will add a slight tartness.

Herbal teas count: Since we are heading into winter here, the other day I had an epiphany that I didn’t need to be chugging just cold water. Hello! Herbal teas (non-caffeinated) could also double as water intake. In fact, Chile has the wonderful custom of drinking aguitas, warm herbal teas after meals–from oregano (good for gassy foods) to boldo leaves (liver tonic) and lemon balm, it’s all good for digestion.

Move it: Being active naturally makes you drink more water. For every 30 minutes of activity you should be drinking at least a glass of water. Normally, during 45 minutes of intense cardio (spinning, swimming, dance cardio, etc.) I easily down 4 glasses. Not only does it help get through a butt kicking workout but I feel very vital, and ripped, at the end.

So circling back to wine, basically, I am now in detox mode by default with all this newfound water consumption. Totally awesome! Because, as you know, I am always ready for a glass of wine or impromtu tasting.
Salud!