Does Detox Water Work?

Does detox water work? 
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: read on. 

Much like the coconut oil craze, recipes for detox water have been floating around the internet like they'll solve all your problems and make you lose 20 pounds overnight. But do they really?

According to the Mayo Clinic, putting some fruit in your water or doing a juice cleanse is not scientifically proven to detoxify your body. The body is designed to "detox" itself, so assuming your organs are functioning as they should, you don't necessarily need to add a bunch of fruits and veggies to your water to make it healthier. Normal water is pretty healthy, too, and has many benefits. 

That being said, infused water tastes better than the plain Jane, boring stuff you get at restaurants when you don't want to pay $3.00 for a Dr. Pepper. I have to really make a point to drink my water. My tendency is to drink coffee like it's going out of style, and given the choice, I would rather drink a raspberry mocha than a glass of H20. However, I know how important it is to stay hydrated by drinking water, so I gave this fancy water a shot. 
What's in my water?

Oranges: 
Why? Any way that you can get a little more Vitamin C in your life will boost your immune system. 

Lemons: 
Why? In addition to other health benefits, lemon water can be great for your skin. 

Cucumbers:
Why? Unpeeled cucumbers pack a solid amount of potassium. Potassi-yum is good for your heart, k?! (In case you missed it, that was a hilarious joke because potassium is vitamin k.)

Mint:
Why? Yum. 

So, will detox water make your organs squeaky-clean and cause you to lose 20 pounds? Maybe not. Is detox water going to cut your cravings for BigMacs? Probably not. But a common misconception of hungry people is that they want food when they are simply dehydrated.

Regularly drinking water can help cut out the dehydration pangs, so you can be sure that your body is actually hungry for food when your stomach starts growling. 

So, does detox water work? If it makes you drink more water, yes. Infused water is a great substitution for soda, and it's easy to sip on throughout the day without feeling guilty or consuming a lot of unnecessary sugars. Unfortunately, this is no substitution (in my opinion) for coffee. Nothing (in my opinion) is a substitution for coffee. 

I've never been able to make myself drink 8 glasses of water a day (how does anyone do that??), but putting fancy fruits in my cup certainly makes me want to get that much closer. Cheers to detoxing-- err, whatever that means!

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How to Give a Compliment

I posted a little bit ago on how to take a compliment, but as many would say, it is better to give than to receive. Here's part two: How to give a compliment.

1. Don't be creepy
Guys: If you're interested in a girl, the best way to compliment her is to say something kind about her personality (i.e., "Hey girl, I think you're smart, humble, witty, brilliant, etc. etc. etc.") I would recommend that you don't just compliment some part of her appearance if you are interested in her beyond a pretty face. Sure, girls like being told their faces are pretty, but we'd rather be affirmed on parts of our personality that are unique to us. If you must compliment her on, say, her eyes, you could use that to transition to how eyes are the window to the soul and she has a beautiful soul… Or something like that.

2. Use humor to your advantage
Sometimes people feel awkward accepting compliments. Sometimes people feel awkward giving compliments. If you want to say something nice, but don't want it to be a huge, awkward deal, you could say something like this: "Hey, I'm going to nominate you for an Academy Award for 'best smile' even though 'best smile' isn't an Academy Award category and you're not an A-list celebrity." That sets you up to follow up with "Why on earth aren't you an A-list celebrity?! You should be because you are very talented and have great memorization skills."
Now, that wasn't awkward, was it??

3. Be sincere
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. If you can't honestly say something nice, don't make up kind words just to hear your own voice.

4. Make it a habit
A compliment costs nothing for you to give but could mean everything for someone to receive. Complimenting someone is perhaps the easiest way that you could brighten his or her day. You don't have to fly a girl to Maui, buy her a million pairs of shoes, or give her a puppy. You simply have to open your mouth, and speak life.

5. Let others shine
My roommate recently tweeted this:

I love when people are like, "Happy birthday <name>! Here's a picture of us, but I'm in my wedding dress...so I still like the attention."
— Merry Tucker (@MerryTucker) August 5, 2014

When you compliment someone, make sure you are truly putting the focus on them. Don't bring up another's success to remind them of your own. And, whatever you do, be sincere.

Photos of Julie Wilson by Nick Warnock.

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