A simple tip: Every time you get in the car, fill up a water bottle and bring it with you. If you're at a desk, keep your water bottle on it.
We know the risks of dehydration; it upsets the balance of minerals in our bodies affecting its functioning and leads to energy loss, headaches, dizziness and if chronic, can negatively affect your kidneys, digestive system, blood pressure, skin, heart rate. We need water to carry out chemical reactions in our cells. We need water to transport nutrients around our bodies. It helps regulate our blood pressure and body temperature. It's vital for digestion, for our joints, for our eyes. Everything - every organ, every cell.
Let's focus on the positives of ensuring you are hydrated: you'll feel more energized. Your metabolism works more efficiently. Thirst can be disguised as hunger (according to a study at the University of Washington, this may be a contributing factor in the obesity epidemic as 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated,) so a glass of water can quell some hunger pangs. Your muscles work more efficiently and your joints are cushioned appropriately. Your skin looks and feels better. Your immune system works better. Your digestive system is more effective. Water is important for diabetics to help flush glucose from their system.
So, what to drink? It's a no-brainer - water. Any article, any study, anywhere will tell you water is best. It provides everything your body needs from a beverage. It was the only beverage for humans for a looooong time.
Other options:
Lemon Water: Many tout the benefits of lemon water. I love it. People say it stimulates your gastrointestinal tract, balances pH, clears your skin. Basically, they say it does what water does. The Ayurvedic philosophy says it "sets the mood" for the rest of your day. Ok. I have not been able to find one scientific study that says the lemon water is better than water water. But I like it. It adds a little zing without any sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Tea & Coffee: Both acceptable, no calorie beverages that can also have health benefits. (Unless you add milk/sugar/cream.)
Tea is regularly praised for its high amount of polyphenols, possible cell protecting antioxidants that may help protect against some cancers and other diseases. There are studies that suggest green tea may lower the risks of some cancers. There are links between tea consumption and lower Parkinson’s risk. There are studies that show it can help cardiovascular risk. However - at this point, while "the science is certainly promising," says David L. Katz, MD, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, "the hype goes beyond it and tends to make promises which the science can't yet deliver. There are pearls of real promise here, but they have yet to be strung. We don't have clinical trials in human patients showing that adding tea to one's routine changes health outcomes for the better."
"While coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that may temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure in some people, coffee also contains hundreds of unique compounds and antioxidants that may confer health benefits." (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/coffee-drinkers-may-live-longer/?smid=pl-share)
Juice: A lot of the goodness of fruit is lost when juiced. Yes, you'll get some vitamins and nutrients. But you'll also get more concentrated sugar, less fiber, fewer vitamins and minerals. If you're eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, you don't need juice. If not, keep it to a glass a day.
Sports Drinks: Unless you're a serious - and I mean serious - athlete, or you're recovering from a stomach bug, you don't need these. Kids do not need these. And forget Energy drinks. "Caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents," write Drs. Marcie Schneider and Holly Benjamin of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Furthermore, frequent or excessive intake of caloric sports drinks can substantially increase the risk for overweight or obesity in children and adolescents."
Soda: Please. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/health/avoiding-sugary-drinks-improves-childrens-weight-in-2-studies.html?smid=pl-share)
Alcohol: I like the way the Harvard School of Public Health puts it, "Alcohol is both a tonic and a poison, and the difference lies in the dose and the person drinking it; moderation is key."