water

How Much Water Should You Drink?

June 11, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Do you want to take a nap? Maybe you have a kind of niggling but not-quite-full-blown headache?

Try guzzling some water.

Dehydration Can Cause Fatigue

Lots of machines don’t function well when they have low water levels, and neither do you. Even being mildly dehydrated can slow your metabolism, drain your energy, and make you feel tired.

Some Signs of Mild to Moderate Dehydration

In addition to feeling tired, here are some signs of mild to moderate dehydration:

a dry, sticky mouth
feeling thirsty
not urinating as much
having fewer or no tears when you cry
dry skin
headache
constipation
feeling dizzy or lightheaded

Don’t you wish you had a dipstick to measure the water levels in your body – like you measure the level of oil in your car?

About 60% of Your Body Weight Is Water

Water is the main chemical component in your body and accounts for about 60% of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on it.

You need water for the chemical and metabolic processes to take place in your body; for body fluids like tears, sweat, and urine; to flush toxins out of your vital organs; and to carry nutrients to your cells.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

There’s not one definitive answer to the question: “How much water should I drink?” The answer really depends on many things including:

your health
your age
how active you are
where you live

For the average healthy adult who lives in a temperate climate, the Institute of Medicine recommends around 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total water intake a day for men and 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total water intake a day for women.

What’s Total Water Intake?

Total water intake isn’t just plain water. It includes the plain water you drink, the water in all of your other beverages, and the water in your food. All fluids count toward your daily total.

On average, food supplies about 20% of your total water intake. Many fruits and vegetables — like watermelon, grapes, lettuce, and tomatoes — are 90% or more water by weight. Food from grains like oatmeal and pasta are also hydrating because they swell up with water when they’re cooked. Even meat is full of water.

Beverages like milk and juice are mostly made of water, too. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but they shouldn’t be the major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Calorie-free and inexpensive water is your best bet.

Tired? Have An Annoying Headache? Here’s A Cheap Cure-All

February 15, 2013 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN 1 Comment

Are you feeling that 3 o’clock fatigue? Do you have a kind of niggling but not-quite-full-blown headache?

A glass of water might be a cheap cure-all.

Dehydration Causes Fatigue

Yep – a low water level can make you tired. Don’t you wish you had a dipstick to measure the water levels in your body – like you measure the level of oil in your car?

Even being mildly dehydrated can slow your metabolism, drain your energy, and make you feel tired.

There are some signs you can look for. In addition to feeling tired, with mild to moderate dehydration you might also:

Have a dry, sticky mouth
Be thirsty
Not urinate as much
Have fewer or no tears when you cry
Have dry skin
Headache
Constipation
Be dizzy or lightheaded

About 60% Of Your Body Weight Is Water

Water is the main chemical component in your body and accounts for about 60% of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on it.

How Much Water Should I Drink?

There’s no easy answer to the question: “How much water should I drink?” The answer really depends on many things including:

your health
your age
how active you are
where you live

What’s Total Water Intake?

Total water intake is not just plain water. It includes the plain water you drink, the water in all of your other beverages, and the water in your food. All fluids count toward your daily total.

Beverages like milk and juice are mostly made of water, too. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but they shouldn’t be the major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is calorie-free, inexpensive, readily available and your best bet.

Does Clean Eating Mean Making Sure You Wash Your Veggies?

March 22, 2011 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

What Is Clean Eating?

Clean eating is about wholesome and natural food – food that isn’t full of chemicals, preservatives, additives and isn’t processed and/or refined.

Clean eating is healthy eating. All of the whole, natural, unprocessed foods in a clean diet are chock full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrition that will help you control your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and other markers important for good health.

What To Do

To eat clean, the April 2011 edition of Environmental Nutrition lists seven basic behaviors:

Eat fresh, uncomplicated, whole food – and choose it in its natural state.

Eat smaller meals – perhaps three small meals and two snacks each day instead of behemoth portions.

Eat good carbs — keep the healthy carbs like veggies, legumes, whole grains, and fruit in your life – and ditch the processed and refined ones like the “whites” (sugar, flour, rice).

Incorporate healthy fats like the monounsaturated fat in olive oil and nuts and cut down on the saturated fats found in dairy and animal products and the trans fats in processed baked and fried foods.

Eat high quality lean protein like fish, chicken, turkey, lean meat, and low or non-fat dairy.

Make water your beverage of choice.

Move your body.

By the way, you do need to wash your vegetables – and fruit. Wash them really well in plenty of plain water. No need for detergents or fancy vegetable washes.

Gatorade, Powerade, Red Bull Or Water?

July 16, 2010 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN 1 Comment

It’s brutally hot and you’re sweating like a pig. Was your run really a good idea? Need something to drink – but what – water, Gatorade, Red Bull, Powerade? Do you need just water or water plus other stuff?

Designed To Hydrate

Sports drinks, a combination of fluids, carbs, sodium and potassium are designed to replenish fluids and nutrients lost through sweating during exercise. If you work out for more than an hour, or for very intensely for less than an hour they are the ideal during- and after-activity hydration drink. But, if your workout is of short duration or is low-intensity. a sports drink may not be your best choice. If you’re just going for a brisk 20 minute walk or doing some other short or low intensity activity, water may be your best choice.

What’s In Them That You Probably Don’t Need For Less Intense Workouts

Two Things: sugar and sodium.

Sugar is a prominent ingredient because it’s a good way feed carbs to your working muscles. But, its an extra two to five teaspoons of added sugar you’re putting into your body for each 8 oz serving. Remember — most bottles contain at least double that amount, so double up on the sugar count, too. The American Heart Association’s recommendation is to limit added sugars to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance which translates to no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar for most American women and150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons, for men.

Although sodium is helpful for higher levels of activity, most of us don’t need to add extra sodium to add to already high sodium intakes.

Don’t Confuse Energy Drinks And Sports Drinks

Energy drinks have a boost of caffeine which research says might enhance athletic performance. Because they have the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee, energy drinks like Rockstar, Monster, and Red Bull are also popular as everyday drinks.

Sports drinks generally have fewer calories because they generally have less sugar than energy drinks. They do have sodium to help replenish what you’ve sweated out, and generally no caffeine. Some sports drinks, called recovery sports drinks, have protein and may be marketed as recovery sports drinks. Use them when your activity lasts longer than 6 hours.

When Are Sports Drinks Helpful?

If you exercise at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more, fluids that supply 60 to 100 calories in 8 ounces help supply the calories necessary calories for continuous performance. During normal training it’s not necessary to replace sodium, potassium and other electrolytes you lose during exercise. But, if you exercise in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours — like during a marathon or a triathalon — you might think about drinking a sports drink with electrolytes.

SocialDieter Tip:

If you are exercising for over an hour or you’re really busting your butt for a shorter but more intense workout, think about a sports drink for hydration. Here are some examples of drinks along with their calories, carbs, sugars, sodium, and potassium. If your exercise time is short or not too strenuous, stick with good old fashioned water.

Powerade, Grape, 8 oz,, 50 calories, 14g sugars, 14 carbs,100mg Sodium, 25 mg Potassium

Gatorade G Berry, 8 oz , 80 calories, 21g sugars, 21 carbs, 160 mg Sodium, 45 mg Potassium

Propel Kiwi-Strawberry, 8 oz, 10 calories, 2g sugars, 2g carbs, 75 mg Sodium, 20 mg Potassium

Gatorade G2 Perform Low Calorie Orange, 8 oz, 20 calories, 5 g sugars, 5g carbs, 110mg Sodium, 30 mg Potassium

Sobe Lifewater 0 calories Black & Blue Berry, 8 oz, 0 calories, 6g carbs, 0g sugars, 25 mg Sodium, n/a Potassium

Red Bull Energy Drink, 8.4 oz, 110 calories, 28g carbs, 27g sugars, 100mg Sodium, n/a Potassium

Are You Drinking Your Calories?

June 22, 2010 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Lazy, Hazy Days Of Summer

It’s summer. It’s hot. You’re thirsty. You want some shade and something cool – or maybe ice cold – to drink.

Just remember – a lot of those cool, refreshing drinks come with a hefty dose of calories.

Check Out The Calories

You might be surprised at the caloric content of a drink you have been having for years. There is a wide variation in the number of calories even in the same category of drinks. Do a little research and learn your best choice and then make that your drink of choice. You often can be satisfied with, for instance, a bottle of beer that has around 100 calories rather than another brand that has around 300.

Of course, there’s always water, plain or flavored (beware the vitamin enhanced kinds with added sugar)!

Non-Alcoholic Drinks:

Water and Sports Drinks

Gatorade: 12 oz, 80 calories

Propel: 24 oz, 30 calories

SoBe Lifewater: 20 oz, 90 calories

Glaceau Smart Water: 33.8 oz, 0 calories

Vitamin Water: 20 oz, 125 calories

Vitamin Water 10: 20 oz, 25 calories

Iced Coffee and Tea Drinks

Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla Bean Coolatta: 16 oz, 430 calories

Dunkin’ Donuts Sweet Tea: 16 oz, 120 calories

Starbuck’s Coffee Frappuccino: 16 0z (grande), 240 calories

Starbuck’s Coffee Frappuccino, light: 16 oz grande), 110 calories

Tazo Unsweetened Shaken Iced Passion Tea: 0 calories

Iced Brewed Coffee with classic syrup: 12 oz (tall), 60 calories

Soda

Coke Classic: one 20 oz bottle, 233 calories

Diet coke: one 20 oz bottle, 0 calories

Mountain Dew: one 20 oz bottle, 290 calories

Alcoholic Drinks:

Beer

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale: one 12 oz bottle, 330 calories

Samuel Adams Brown Ale: 160 calories

Amstel Light: 95 calories

Wine

Red Wine: 5 oz, 129 calories

White Wine: 5 oz, 120 calories

Sangria: 8 oz, 176 calories

Alcoholic Drinks

Mojito: 7 oz, 172 calories

Frozen Magarita: 4 oz, 180 calories (the average margarita glass holds 12 oz, 540 calories)

Mimosa: 137 calories

Gin and Tonic: 175 calories

SocialDieter Tip:

According to CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest), carbonated soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet. We tend to forget about the calories in sugared sports drinks and in sweetened ice teas, juices, and alcoholic beverages. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram — compared to protein and carbs which have 4 calories per gram and fat which has 9 calories per gram. Couple the alcohol with sweetened juices, syrups, and, in some cases, soda, and you could be drinking a significant portion of your suggested daily calorie allowance. There are low and lower calorie choices in each category of cold drinks. Choose wisely, sip slowly, limit the repeats and/or alternate with water, seltzer, diet soda, or iced tea or coffee.