Hello Everyone,
You have heard that old proverb you are what you eat. But what does it mean? Outside of the philosophical premises of whether we are vegetarian or not, there is a clear link between what you eat (and drink) and how you feel. For example, I notice that when I haven’t eaten enough (healthy food) during the day, I tend to go into excess snacking or eating whatever is at an arms reach at the end of the day. A heavy meal at dinner is tantamount with having difficulty getting up and feeling sluggish the next day.
Recently, I read this really good post by Lucas of Yogabody discussing how hydration and flexibility are intimately related. In a prior post Lucas had mentioned that coffee, along with other foods and beverages, lead to muscle stiffness. One of the main reasons behind this effect is that caffeinated drinks such as coffee, teas, and now more popular energy drinks actually dehydrate you. Think of what happens to a leaf or fruit that has been dehydrated. It becomes stiff and brittle. Consequently, if you want to increase you flexibility, a great way to start is by increasing your water intake. For most of us, we should start with at least 4 liters or 135 ounces of water to jump start our hydration process.
I realize it sounds like a lot but if you consider that the majority of the drinks out there have 2 8-ounce servings, you are actually looking at 8 glasses of water. Additionally, not only will you become more flexible, your digestion will improve and your skin will almost immediate look younger and more subte.
With in a week or two you will notice marked improvements in your health, looks, and flexibility. After that you can determine your water consumption needs based on your weight. I am including a water requirement link based on your weight, age, and levels of physical exercise which I hope will be useful. http://www.csgnetwork.com/humanh2owater.html. In the meantime, let’s begin by getting up and getting yourself a glass of water and visualize as you drink how you are on the way to a better you.
Cheers and Namaste!
yoganesha 
It’s a good post. I would add that it’s best of all to drink pure water, any other drink is perceived by our body as food, it needs to digest it (carbohydrates in it), thus putting energy into this process. But it’s still better than drinking nothing. Normally it’s accepted that in cold months, when perspiration is low, it’s normal to decrease water intake (it’s kapha time and too much water can raise kapha – for those who follow ayurvedic principles). And the last observation, in yoga, our physical body is called Ana maya kosh – Ana literally meaning “food”. So they take the proverb of “you are what you eat” quite seriously.