Eating For Health

At long last, SUMMER!!    With the heat and humidity, we need to focus on staying hydrated.   Water is always a good choice for hydration.    MSN has an interesting article on  5 Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated This Summer .   Stay away from the sugar sweetened beverages loaded with sugar and calories.   Yes, enjoying some lemonade is fun but it is not a juice and it is loaded with added sugar.    What are some ways to stay hydrated?   How do you know you need hydration?   Thirst is the first sign of becoming dehydrated.   Your body is telling you to drink more fluids.   Eight cups is a good goal but you may need even more when exercising outside or being outside in the heat. Unsweetened Coffee – most people think coffee dehydrates you, but coffee is a fluid and can count towards your daily fluid intake.   And coffee can help you feel more alert and keep you energized.     Unsweetened Ice Tea – ic...

We have all heard that you should drink 8 glasses of water a day for good health.   But is this true?   What if you drink coffee, tea and only 4 glasses of water a day?   Are you unhealthy?   Now that it is summer, paying attention to fluid intake is a good idea.   How do you know if you are becoming dehydrated?   Thirst is the first sign of dehydration.   So if you are thirsty, get something to drink to replenish your body fluids. Does coffee, tea count as fluid?   Yes.   Both are fluids that can help you stay hydrated.    Popular belief says these drinks contain caffeine so they don’t count as “fluids” or part of the 8 glasses a day.   But that isn’t true.   Researchers have found that the caffeine in these beverages doesn’t cancel out their hydration effects. Does milk, juice or even foods like watermelon – other foods count towards our “water” intake?   Yes.   All liquids count towards your fluid ...