Before the band, I was a serious coffee addict. Tons of coffee, Red Bull, soda and any other form of caffeine flying down my throat all day long. I couldn't understand why I was so tired all the time. The more caffeine I had, the more tired I was, so the more caffeine I wanted. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of exhaustion. I could literally drink a cup of coffee and then go right to sleep.

After the surgery, my nutritionist told me to avoid caffeine, or at least replace what water I was losing from drinking it. I thought "Oh god, how am I going to get through the day without my precious coffee?" So I started drinking lots of water to flush out the caffeine and whatever other nasties were hanging around in my body, and I couldn't believe it...I actually had energy again! I mean, I wasn't bouncing off the walls or anything, but I definitely noticed an improvement. I should have realized with my medical background, but my exhaustion was coming from dehydration. Duh!

Nowadays I definitely notice a difference if I'm not getting adequate water. I feel down, like I'm dragging myself to do anything or go anywhere. Instead of reaching for the coffee, I'll have a few glasses of water and I feel better almost immediately. I love you water! Where have you been all my life?