Dear Readers,
Think to yourself...what did I drink today? Did I consume enough water? Or you may be thinking what is the recommended amount of fluid that I should consume daily? According to the Mayo Clinic, water is your body's principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. Furthermore, several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.
■Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.
■Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
■Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
■Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, the duration of your exercise and the type of activity you're engaged in.
During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.
■Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.
These are sources for fluid intake: (water, tea, broth, milk, juice, coffee)
However, if you are weight conscious I usually recommend water and tea to be your main sources of fluid.
I usually drink water throughout the day but sometimes I want a change. I recently found a green tea drink that provides health benefits.
The brand is Tea's Tea and I found it at Whole Foods. However you can order the tea on their website:
http://www.itoen.com/tea/index.cfm?gclid=CLG0wbPvmKACFSJ25QodVUhteg
The first thing I noticed about the tea is that there were no concentrates, tea powders, or colors in the bottom. Also, the tea is unsweetened so I could control the amount of sweetness. I usually use a little honey or Stevia along with fresh lemon and a mint leaf.
I will post some fresh tea beverage recipes..stay tuned
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