Today's small change....................

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2007
Today's small change....................
5
Mon, 08-18-2008 - 12:35pm
Today's Small Change: Drink at least five glasses of water a day.

Let It Flow
When you think about nutrition, do you think about water? Water is actually the most vital nutrient in our diets — being even just a little dehydrated can cause you to feel tired, weak, dizzy, and headachy, whereas getting enough water can help prevent serious conditions like kidney stones and certain cancers. That's why getting enough fluid in your body is a cornerstone of the Healthy Living With Ellie program. Today's small change is to make sure that you're getting enough water — at least five glasses a day.

You've probably heard the traditional nutrition advice that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. However, this is not completely accurate — fluid needs are very individual. According to the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board, most men need to drink about 13 cups of fluid a day, and most women should aim to drink about nine cups a day. Plenty of liquids can count toward that grand total: Juices, milk, smoothies, sports drinks, soft drinks, and even caffeinated and alcoholic beverages contain water and count toward your total water intake.


But water itself is the best beverage. It's absorbed quickly, it's calorie-free, and many studies have shown that it has an edge over other drinks when it comes to disease prevention. That's why it's a good idea to get at least half your daily fluid needs in the form of water itself. For women, that rounds off to about five cups a day, and for men, seven cups a day.


One easy way to make sure you drink enough water is to carry a reusable water bottle with you. That way, you'll always have water on hand when you're thirsty, and you can keep tabs on your water intake by noting how many times you refill the bottle in a day.


Be like a postage stamp.

Be like a postage stamp.  Stick to it until you get there.

Bob Proctor

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-26-2006
Tue, 08-19-2008 - 12:24pm

Great advice!


I agree that most of us probably do not get enough water and a lot of medical problems can come from being dehydrated. I wanted to add one thing though. We also get much of the water we need from the foods we eat. So don't forget to include the water from fruits and vegetables especially.

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2007
Tue, 08-19-2008 - 2:23pm

You are so right and thanks for the tip. I think that is why the guidelines have come down from eight 8 oz glasses of water to 6 now. There is more water in some of the foods we eat than we think!

Grace


Be like a postage stamp.

Be like a postage stamp.  Stick to it until you get there.

Bob Proctor

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2001
Tue, 08-19-2008 - 11:32pm
Welcome to the board.
Nancy

"Make Choices that bring you joy"  cl-Patty


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2001
Wed, 08-20-2008 - 5:29am
You're right, I never think about that! Thanks for the post and welcome to the board!
Miss P

Miss P




 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 08-20-2008 - 9:27am
Welcome to the board, TG!

       ~~Rhonda~~


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