Here are a few reasons why your body might actually need more water during the holiday season.

Increased alcohol consumption. With office parties and good tidings often comes increased drinking of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol, like caffeine, dehydrates the body, so you need more water. Water can also reduce the effects of a hangover.

Holiday hustle and bustle. The more physically active you are, regardless of the temperature outside, the harder you breathe. Since water vapor is released from the body with each breath, increased activity, such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, partying and especially shoveling snow, will cause your body to lose fluids more rapidly. Also keep in mind that dehydration can lead to fatigue, because it causes blood pressure to fall, decreasing the flow of oxygen to the brain. Without enough water, you might not have the energy to complete your holiday activities.

Hectic schedules. Due to increased demands put on your time during the holidays, disorderly meal times (and even skipped meals) can become the norm. Since beverages are most often consumed with meals, a missed meal can mean fewer fluids for the body.

Fattening holiday goodies. With all the great-tasting treats and sumptuous meals around the holidays, your choice of beverage could help keep your cholesterol and saturated fat to a minimum. So the next time you reach for a glass of milk to wash down those cookies, remember that water helps the body metabolize and get rid of fat.

Pre- and post-holiday dieting. Water is a key ingredient in most diets because it helps create a feeling of fullness and increases the body's fat-burning abilities. In order to get into shape in time for the holidays (as well as after all that great food), keep drinking.

Holidays or not, your body needs water to function properly and to get rid of any toxins inside. Medical experts recommend you drink eight glasses of water a day.

Many people, however, don't drink the recommended amount. And the reason most often cited is taste. Poor-tasting tap water is also the primary reason that people drink bottled water. But for those who are frustrated with the cost and inconvenience of buying bottled water, in-home drinking water systems offer an attractive and tasty alternative (especially considering all the holiday guests you'll have in your home requesting water).

Kinetico is one of several companies that manufactures reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water systems. RO technology is recognized by the EPA as the most effective at reducing lead, and the Center for Disease Control recognizes it as one of the best means for reducing cryptosporidium that may be in the water.

Kinetico's RO systems feature an exclusive five-stage protection process which ensures consistently high-quality drinking water. A special lead-free faucet comes with every system to keep lead from entering the water at the point of use.

So this year, avoid holiday drinking problems at your house by serving high-quality, good-tasting drinking water with (and between) every meal. Make this the season of good will and good water.

For more information about the water you drink, call Kinetico at 1-800-944-WATER (9283) and request the FREE Consumers’s Guide to Protecting the Water Your Family Drinks. Or visit Kinetico's Web site at www.kinetico.com for more information about water.