Let It Flow

February 18, 2008

Monday February 18, 2008Welcome to today's edition of Healthy Living

with Ellie Krieger.

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 5 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 9 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 5 cups a day, and for

men, 7 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.

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