Everyone says you need to drink more water. Water is called an essential nutrient because our need for it surpasses our body’s ability to produce it. But you drink coffee, tea, and the occasional soda, so why is water so important? There are quite a few answers to that question. Here are some.

Most health professionals agree that an adequate intake of protein is important for good health. But what is an adequate amount? And what happens if you miss that goal?

He only gained 3 pounds one year. That hardly matters at all! The problem is, it’s now ten years down the line and he’s gone from a healthy 170 pounds to a hefty 200 pounds—3 pounds at a time.

Have you ever read Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984? If you have, you are familiar with the term “doublethink.” Doublethink is the ability to simultaneously hold two contradictory thoughts in one’s head without recognizing the contradiction. When it comes to nutrition, doublethink is the result of contradictory information we’ve heard (and internally assimilated) from companies and diet fad proponents that make money through their “facts.” Take for example something we know is not healthy, say waffles. When they are labeled “whole grain,” we accept that they are healthy, even when we know they are not.

What in the world is gut health? Isn’t “gut” just a slang word, after all? Actually, gut health is an extremely important part of your overall health, both mental and physical. The term refers to the balance of the microorganisms that inhabit your intestinal system. Maintaining the proper balance is the best way to “love your gut.”