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

Stay Safe: 5 Summer Food Safety Tips

With the summer quickly approaching, the time is right to review food safety tips. During warm weather, it is especially important to practice safe food handling when preparing perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood and egg products. The warmer conditions may be ideal for picnics and barbecues, but they also provide an ideal environment for bacteria and other pathogens in food to multiply rapidly and cause foodborne illness. Follow these 5 summer food safety tips from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce the risk of foodborne illness this summer.

From the Store to Your Home
To guard against cross-contamination — which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food — put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic bags. Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F.

Marinating

Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to 5 days. If the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Transporting
When carrying food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 °F or below. Pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home.

Precooking
Precooking food partially in the microwave, oven, or stove is a good way of reducing grilling time. Just make sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.

Cook Thoroughly
Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

For more information regarding food safety, check out the USDA’s website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/