Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well

Summer means sunshine and time outdoors. When the weather heats up, drinking enough fluid is important, especially when exercising.

How much is enough?

In general, adults need one milliliter of water for every calorie expended. This adds up to about 1,440-1,920 milliliters or six to eight cups of water a day. You'll need more in warm weather and during exercise to keep your body cool.

Before exercising, drink 1+ to 2 cups of water. During exercise, you'll need about 4 cups per hour. After exercise, drink more fluid to replace lost sweat.

Don't let thirst dictate when you search out a water fountain. Be pro-active in getting enough fluid. Bring a water bottle with you or exercise somewhere you can find a water fountain. Cold drinks cool the body faster than warm drinks, so put some ice cubes in your bottle and sip on something refreshing.

Water is best at hydrating the body. Sports drinks are not necessary if you are exercising for less than 60 to 90 minutes. In addition, drinking a sweetened sports drink means adding back calories you just burned off exercising. Drink water when exercising.

If you would like a hydrating cool alternative to water, look for drinks with no caffeine or alcohol and little sugar or sodium. Caffeinated coffees and teas do not count toward the 6 to 8 cups of water you need each day. Look at the list below for drink ideas to quench your thirst this summer.

• Mix 100% juice with plain or sparkling water.
• Mix unsweetened, decaffeinated iced tea with orange juice or lemonade.
• Add a bit of cinnamon or vanilla to iced decaffeinated coffee. (Add coffee cubes to keep the drink from getting diluted.)
• Put ice cubes in your favorite herbal tea.
• Squeeze a wedge of lemon, lime or orange into unflavored carbonated water.
• Mix 100% juice and water then freeze into a fruit juice delight.