Problem: Article: A common goal to improve your overall health is to ditch the sugary drinks and increase water intake within reason. This is a great goal as water is essential to your hydration and health. Increasing water consumption is a virtually free and painless way to instantly make a positive change for yourself. Your long-term goal should be to drink about 64 oz or 2 L of clear, sugar-free fluids every day. Ditch sweetened beverages. Drinking more water is great, but skipping the sweetened beverages will help reduce your overall calorie intake. Start drinking more water gradually. Add in one glass or one bottle of water than usual. Or, swap out one soda or one energy drink for an equivalent amount of water. Slowly increase the amount of water you drink and decrease the number of sweetened beverages you drink. Don't drink your fruits. Drink less fruit juice and instead get nutrients from whole fruit. You'll get the added benefit of the fruit fiber in addition to missing out on the added sugar of fruit juice. Beware of water intoxication. This is caused by drinking a large amount of water in a short time. When one is suffering from water intoxication, it brings the level of sodium (salt) to a dangerously low level. Water intoxication is a rare condition. It should be taken seriously, however, as it can have fatal results. While increasing the amount of water you drink, you can also be strategic about when you drink it. Drinking a big glass of water (about eight oz) right before a meal or snack can help decrease your appetite and how many calories you consume. Eating enough fruits and vegetables is key for a healthy lifestyle and diet, since these foods are essential sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, eating the recommended seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables everyday may be daunting or difficult. If you're not a big fruit or vegetable eater, make a list of your top five favorite fruits and vegetables. Start by adding in just one serving of fruit or vegetables a day. As you get comfortable with this goal, add two servings a day. If you dislike many fruits and vegetables, go to the grocery and pick out something new or unfamiliar to you. Or try an item that you haven't had in a while. Keep fresh fruit on the counter and vegetables cut, washed, and ready to eat in the fridge. The less preparation needed, the more likely you'll include them in your diet. If you enjoy a sweet after dinner, try having fruit with your dessert. Keep in mind that fruit skins have the most nutrients. Say, in an apple, keep the skin on. Don't eat pomegranate skins, even though that is where the nutrients are. Whole grains are minimally processed grains that are higher in fiber, protein, and other nutrients compared to refined grains (white bread or plain pasta). They may have a more nutty flavor and chewy texture, which may not be enjoyable by all people. If you typically eat refined grains, start by making about half of your grain choices whole grains. As you get more comfortable with this goal, you can work up to making more of your grain choices whole grains. Whole grain foods to try include: 100% whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice or 100% whole wheat bread. Try a variety of whole grains and a variety of brands of whole grains. For example, try 100% whole wheat pasta. If you don't like it, try another brand of 100% whole wheat pasta as each brand has a slightly different flavor. Making lifestyle changes to be healthier doesn't mean you can't enjoy a snack. In fact, having a snack can help manage and control hunger and support weight loss. Healthy snacks should contain some lean protein and a fruit or a vegetable. However, start slowly changing your snacks for a lasting change. For example, if you normally have a small bag of chips in the afternoon, try swapping to a small bag of whole grain chips with salsa. Fructose is a sugar that goes through your body, like the glucose sugar that your body usually uses. However, fructose has its own pathways. It can turn into glucose for your muscles and brain to use, but it tends to go straight toward making fat in your body, when there is too much sugar in your body. Fructose is found in fruits and vegetables naturally, but it is found in high concentrations artificially, as High Fructose Corn Syrup.High fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetener so much that we don't realize it can be found in almost everything. It is in lots of processed foods, pastries, and beverages, so eating less of it might be a little difficult, but it's good to be aware of what you're eating.
Summary: Drink more water. Drink water before a meal. Eat a fruit and vegetable every day. Choose whole grains when you can. Eat healthy snacks. Eat less high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: You can use nonfat, low-fat, or regular yogurt. You can even use Greek yogurt, but make sure that it is not flavored; this will allow you to control the flavor of your smoothie. Cut larger types of fruit, such as bananas, strawberries, and peaches into smaller pieces to make them easier to blend. Leave berries as they are. Remember to cut out any leaves, seeds, and pits. You can use fresh fruit or frozen fruit. If you are using fresh fruit, you may need to add some ice later on to make the smoothie thicker. If you are using frozen fruit, you won't need to add any ice. Listed below are popular fruit options: Berries, including: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries Tropical fruits, such as: mango, papaya, and pineapple Pitted fruits, such as peaches and nectarines Bananas are classical, especially when combined with strawberries You can also use a fruit juice (such as orange juice), but milk will affect the flavor of the smoothie the least. If you are using frozen fruit, you probably won't need to add any ice. Yogurt smoothies are pretty healthy by themselves, but you can make them even healthier (or tastier) by adding in some extras. They are not necessary, but they can brink your yogurt smoothie to the next level. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1 scoop of protein powder 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 grams) of wheat germ or flaxseed 1 to 2 pinches of ground cinnamon or nutmeg teaspoon (2.5 grams) grated citrus peel For extra flavor, add teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of vanilla extract. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on what sorts of fruit you are using and whether or not you added ice. From time to time, you will need to open the blender, and push the ingredients down the sides with a spatula; this will help blend things more evenly and prevent any chunks. Use a spatula to help guide the smoothie into the glass. Be sure to scrape the sides of the blender clean so that you don't waste any smoothie goodness. For a fancy touch, garnish it with a piece of cut fruit (such as a strawberry or banana slice) or a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can also use mint or basil leaves instead.
Summary:
Place 1 cup (250 grams) of plain yogurt into a blender. Add 1 cup (100 to 200 grams) of fruit. Pour in cup (60 milliliters) of milk you like your smoothies thin. Add 1 to 2 cups (100 to 200 grams) of ice if you like your smoothies thick. Consider adding some extras for extra nutrition or flavor. Top off with 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of honey if you like your smoothies sweet. Close the blender, and blend the ingredients until they are smooth. Pour the smoothie into a tall glass and serve. Finished.