Welcome to the category of my blog simply called ‘Healthy Tips.’ Many times, when I write articles for various publications, I need to find sources for the story as seen in Yahoo Shine (click here) or PBS (click here) about staying healthy. I was looking for experts and non-experts to chime in and give their favorite ‘tips’ to help kids and adults lead a healthy lifestyle.

The feedback for various stories was amazing. The sources had some fantastic points of view that could not be ignored, and I thought their opinions should be viewed on the Your Health Journal web site.

So, enjoy my new series, with some ‘great’ insight from some ‘great’ people giving exceptional and educational points of view.

The best way to get started on the path to a healthier lifestyle is to drink more water. Each client has different needs, but the one “universal” truth is that we are all dehydrated when we wake up in the morning. Start your day with a glass of water (preferably at room temperature to avoid shocking your system, and with lemon for an extra boost) before you drink your coffee or eat your breakfast. If you are normally groggy or famished in the morning, the culprit is often dehydration. If you hit the 3:00 slump that sends you to the coffee shop or the vending machine, it’s probably dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, headache, and hunger. Drink a glass of water and wait five minutes before grabbing a quick-energy (read: sugary) snack. If you want to track your water intake, divide your weight in pounds by two and aim for that many ounces of water per day.

– Stacy Spensley, Certified Holistic Health Coach