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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

In a world full of FD&C dyes, sugary drinks, sodas, cows’ milks, and nut milks, it’s nice to know your child has options. However, it may seem like a constant battle to find the best drink to promote healthy mental and physical development. Instead of agonizing over which manufacturer has the best product for your child, stick with water.

We’re Made of Water, Not Milk
Humans are around 70% water. Knowing this, it seems counter intuitive to drink anything other than what keeps us going each day. Just like other mammals, once your child stops nursing, water should be his/her primary drink. Did you know humans are the only species on the planet that regularly drinks another animal’s milk? Experts may claim we need the nutrients found in milk, those same nutrients are also found in good, wholesome food.

It’s Accessible
If you stop and think about it, water is everywhere. Living in America, we are especially privileged to have access to clean drinking water nearly everywhere we go. Instead of packing juice boxes for your next trip, you can travel lightly knowing that nearly everywhere you go you’ll have clean, drinkable water. Whether you’re at a public water fountain or at a restaurant, water is everywhere.

You Know What’s In Water
Some people may be concerned about what’s in their water, but if you don’t know, you can have it tested! You can try an at home test kit or you can send a water sample to a laboratory to learn more about what may be in your water. Typical water filters, whether it’s for the fridge, faucet, or shower, remove most heavy metals, pesticides, and sediment. Check your water filter to make sure it’s been tested and approved by the NSF for contaminant reduction. If you’re still concerned, look into using distilled water or water from a reverse osmosis system. That’s the purest of pure water you can get on the planet.

It’s safe to say that sugary sodas and fruit juices are not the best drinks for any child. At the end of the day, you know what’s best, but with the increases in allergies to nuts, soy, wheat, and dairy, water is becoming the chosen drink for kids.

Juliana Reynolds is a blogger for WaterFilters.Net.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want healthy children.

Image courtesy of Joost Neilssen via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.