Got Water?

Most of us in the summer months know we should really increase our water intake, due to the fact that the temperatures and sunshine outside help dehydrate us so quickly. But, did you know that we should be just as concerned with our hydration in the winter? Not only does the humidity level in our home drop with the cold weather, but with our heaters running at full blast, we dry out the air around us even further. Believe it or not, this does translate into us needing to be very aware of how much water we are taking in everyday. About 70% of our bodies are made up of water. A good baseline for everyone is to drink your weight in ounces of water everyday, more if you are exerting yourself in a training/exercise program. It is true that other beverages usually have water in them, and therefore can be counted toward your daily intake. But, does that “other” beverage also contain caffeine, a known dehydrator? Or so much sugar that you are actually “drinking” a meals worth of calories? Something to think about when your are drinking all those snuggly “warm” beverages this winter, or reaching for those “sports drinks” at the local corner store. See ya ‘round the water cooler!!

Kate Ripley