GreyNav

Custom: Food Friends Header

Events
Media and News Center
Get Involved
Who We Serve
What We Do
Who We Are
logo

July 7, 2015

Tips to Staying Hydrated this Summer

As the weather continues to warm up and the sun shines brighter, drinking enough water is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle this summer.

Did you know over half of our body weight is made up of water?

Water is needed to control our body’s temperature, to protect our tissues, joints, and muscles, and to help with blood flow throughout the body. Drinking water contributes to good heart health and overall hydration. Each day, our body loses water through normal body excretions and replenishing this supply of water is critical.

Every person’s body is different so everyone requires different amounts of water to stay hydrated. On average, it is recommended to drink about 6 to 8 eight ounce cups of water per day.

When our bodies do not have enough water, this can be detrimental to our health. Key signs of dehydration include noticeable or extreme thirst, muscle cramps, weakness, decreased performance, nausea, headache, fatigue, dizziness and trouble focusing. One important indicator of dehydration is the color of your urine. A dark yellow or orange color may indicate poor hydration. Ideally, if your urine is colorless or light yellow, you are drinking enough water. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends monitoring your urine as a better indicator of your hydration levels than your thirst.

Keeping yourself hydrated can be easy with these simple tips!

Carry a Water Bottle: Consider purchasing a reusable water bottle that you can refill from a water fountain or even your kitchen sink.

Keep Track: If you have trouble remembering to drink water, try drinking at specific times of the day. Having an 8-ounce cup of water at each meal can be a great way to stay hydrated.

Add Some Flavor: If you do not enjoy the taste of plain water, try adding a slice of lemon, lime, or even cucumber to your drink to add some natural flavor with minimal calories. Drinking water is more beneficial than sugar-sweetened beverages or sports drinks because they often have extra calories and artificial sugars.

Remember each person’s body is different and speak to your doctor or dietitian for how much water you should be consuming. Certain medical conditions include diabetes, heart disease, and even certain medications can also require one to drink even more water than recommended. Enjoy the warm weather as summer approaches, but remember to hydrate yourself throughout the day with these simple tips!


CONTRIBUTED BY: Dana Krimker, Client Services Representative

Dana is the primary liaison to all clients on service and answers our delivery hotline. Dana received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Health Care Ethics.


1. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/water.html
2. http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/nutrients/hydration-why-its-so-important.html
3. http://heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Staying-Hydrated---Staying-Healthy_UCM_441180_Article.jsp


1 comment: