Info about Healthy Kids
Healthy Drinking
It’s a great feeling to slug down an icy glass of fresh water when you are really hot and thirsty. You can almost feel your body thanking you for giving it what it desperately needs. But be warned, if you waited long enough to feel extremely thirsty, you have waited too long. Thirst is a sign that your body is in need, and doing without something it wants desperately -- water.
• Don’t Let Yourself Get Thirsty
Plan to drink fluids throughout the day, and don’t let yourself get really thirsty. Water is best, but milk, juice, and some other beverages can account for part of your daily 8 to 12 glasses because of their high water content.
Drinks that contain caffeine are not a good idea because they cause you to urinate more frequently, thus making you lose more water than you are actually taking in. These drinks Include coffee, tea, and many kinds of soda that contain caffeine. Another diuretic is alcohol, such as beer and the harder stuff. A cold beer on a hot day might feel good, but it does your body little good in the long run.
• Drink Before Hard Work or Play
Always take in plenty of fluids before you begin a strenuous workout, especially in hot, humid weather, Then drink 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes while you exercise. In addition, you should monitor your weight and urine color after heavy workouts. You need to replace each pound lost with two cups of water to bring your fluid balance back to normal. Dark colored urine indicates that you are consuming too little water and need to increase your intake.
• Sickness
Why do doctors always tell you to drink a lot of fluids when you are sick with a cold or flu? Because fever, vomiting and sweating depletes your body of fluid more rapidly than when you are feeling normal. Thus the need to replace those fluids more diligently is called for.
Here are more healthy drinking tips:
• Tips for Increasing water intake:
• Go with water breaks instead of coffee breaks.
• Have a glass of water before meals and snacks to help take the edge off your appetite.
• Drink before, during, and after all activity.
• Alternate sparkling waters for alcoholic drinks at parties and social gatherings.
• Bring a supply of bottled water with you when you travel.