Watered Down

Watered Down
Last week, we suffered through massive amounts of rainfall and, this week, a heatwave.  Officially, a heat wave is defined as three continuous days of high temperatures in the 90’s.  With temperatures already soaring, what are you doing to keep sufficiently hydrated? Tired of sipping the same plain old bottled water?

Don’t you love it when you examine the nutritional value of any bottle of water—zero calories, zero fat, zero carbs, zero sodium, and zero sugar? Before we get to a wonderful drink to quench your thirst with zero calories and great nutritional value, let’s first review the facts of Hydration 101 to make sure we know the importance of staying hydrated in the summer heat and humidity.

During a heat wave, the most important thing is staying hydrated.  And people who have a heart condition, are older than 50 or are overweight may have to take extra precautions. Our bodies are about 75 percent water, and blood is nearly 80 percent water, so it is necessary to replenish what is lost every day. When water is not replaced, blood thickens, forcing the heart to work harder and raising the risk of heart attack.  Staying watered down or up is essential for heart function, but it also helps with alertness, controlling appetite, and generally improving all activity.

Hydration Fact Sheet

• It is recommended that adults drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.
• To determine one’s ideal daily water intake, experts at the Mayo Clinic suggest dividing your body weight in half and using this number as the ounces of water you should consume.  Based on this formula, a 125-pound person should consume the recommended eight servings of water daily.
• We lose a pint or more of water every day by breathing!
• We normally lose 10 cups of fluid a day through exhaled air, perspiration, and other bodily secretions.
• The body tends to dehydrate while traveling, particularly on airplanes.  An additional 8 oz. of water per hour is suggested.
• Exposure to summer heat requires additional water.  The body uses a great deal of water through skin-cooling perspiration.
•  One of the best ways to recognize dehydration is to pay close attention to the color of your urine.  Ideally, light to clear urine indicates proper water intake.
• The first sign of dehydration may be a headache feeling at the end of the day.

Who doesn’t relish the feeling of a cool drink of water on a sweltering hot day?

Listed below are several ways to integrate more water into your lifestyle.

• Pour the water into an easy-to-use water bottle. Add ice and a slice of lemon or lime. Chill the water. Drink moderate-size portions spread over the course of a day rather than all at once.
• Visit the office water cooler and take water breaks instead of coffee breaks.
• Proper hydration can be achieved by carrying a bottle of water on the morning commute or keeping a cup of water at one’s desk.
• Eat lots of hydrating fruits and vegetables:  cucumbers, watermelon, pineapple, zucchini,
  tomato, blueberries, celery, cantaloupe, carrots, and grapefruit.
• Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Drink Sassy Water, the zero-calorie, great nutritional drink I mentioned earlier.

Recipe for Sassy Water:

Water is vital to maintaining one’s well-being, so drink up!!