I get tired of everyone telling me to drink more water - my doctor, my dietician --- my daughter, the nurse. But I know they're right. The prescribed amount is six to eight glasses a day.

Keeping our bodies hydrated keeps us healthy. What does water do? Drdonnica.com lists these benefits:

For example, it is well documented that drinking sufficient amounts of water will help reduce constipation, but most people do not know that drinking eight glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking enough water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer (by 50%) and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Water is also beneficial if you suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs.) For years I've suffered from recurring UTIs and I've discovered, just like I was told, that water does help. Lots of water. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearing House tells us:

Many women suffer from frequent UTIs. Nearly 20 percent of women who have a UTI will have another, and 30 percent of those will have yet another. Of the last group, 80 percent will have recurrences.

About Women's Health lists ten ways to prevent urinary tract infection. Here's number one on the list:

Make sure you drink an adequate amount of plain water everyday to help flush out your urinary tract.