<b>By Takiya Smith</b>

After about five days of some much-needed R&amp;R, I am certainly energized and geared up to start my day — as well as my week — fresh and revived.

My newfound motivation and swift but duly noted realization comes from my experience over the past week. For starters, my rest and relaxation was not planned but was rather imposed upon me due to a lack of proper hydration mingled with a tad bit of exhaustion. Not a normal part of my daily routine, I must admit, drinking water has always been a bit of a struggle for me. It’s not that I don’t absolutely love its tasteless, colorless and odorless appeal, but that I am so on the go and busy, that I tend to just forget to drink it. So, with that said, and the fact that water has become this girl’s new best friend, let’s take a look at it’s powerful, important and healthy benefits.

Our body, skin and hair are composed mostly of water and it serves as the foundational source of life to each of these individually. Drinking water not only quenches our thirst, but replenishes and balances our body’s need to hydrate. Our bodies are composed of well over 70 percent of water alone, and when those levels begin to drop or are ignored, everything from dry hair, brittle nails and dull, lack luster skin, to say the least, are the end results.

In the upcoming weeks, as part of a series, I will focus on benefits of some simple enough intake of H2O, regarding hair, nails, skin, diet and exercise.

For starters, here’s a quick tip on obtaining shiny, healthier hair: After showering or especially after a shampoo and conditioning, rinse the hair with a cool burst of water. The cool water will seal and smooth the hairs cuticles and will cause the hair to be flatter and shinier.