It's Important to Hydrate
As winter departs and pollen fills the air, for many it’s time to tackle the yard and make home improvements. This may mean expending extra calories as we tidy up, which is good, but additionally we need to make sure we replenish the liquids we lose through perspiration.Hydration is recognized as part of living in a warm climate. We need to replenish often but even more when we burn additional calories. The best way to hydrate is with water, just plain water. Cold water is absorbed more quickly from the stomach and additionally cools the body temperature. A normal, healthy person should consume 64 ounces of water a day, which is eight glasses. Yet some find that water isn’t their drink of choice. Other good sources for rehydration would include fruit juices, milk or vegetable juices. Interesting enough fruit juices should be watered down for ease of digestion.
Many people select sports drinks as their choice for hydration. These electrolyte balancing drinks were developed at the University of Florida, thus the name of the first drink (GATORADE), for the football players who were practicing in the hot Florida sun. These drinks are made for those that work out for more than two hours, not everyday consumption. Additionally they provide electrolytes such as sodium and potassium which heavy workouts may deplete. They also add extra calories through sugar that many not be recognized.
Enter the newest beverages in town, energy drinks. The extra energy these drinks provide comes from high amounts of caffeine and guarana, both stimulants, which work as diuretics promoting fluid loss and which can cause dehydration. Sodas by law may not contain more than 71 mg of caffeine per 8.3 oz serving. Energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements; therefore they do not have this same regulation. In fact, the most popular energy drink contains 80 mg for the same 8.3 oz serving; other energy drinks contain an even higher amount of caffeine. Why the issue? Many people do not recognize the amount of caffeine they are consuming in these drinks; in fact many people do not even know they contain caffeine. Healthy adults should limit their consumption of caffeine to 300 mg per day, there is no recommended level for children, and these drinks are being consumed by teens. Stimulates can cause racing of the heart beat and elevation of blood pressure.
What’s a person to do? Consider the amount of activity, and make sure you are consuming enough liquids to replace the fluids lost. Water is your best choice if you are doing light activities, but the important thing is to rehydrate.
For additional on health and nutrition topics contact Mary Beth Salisbury, 321-697-3000 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .