Diabetes Forecast August 2005

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FOR TYPE 1/TYPE 2

Healthy Eating

Essential Water
Make Sure You Get Enough
By Robyn Webb, MS, LN

Recipe of the Month: Ginger Mint Tea
Product of the Month: Fuze's Healthy Infuzions "Slenderize"

WATER MAY BE everywhere, but for many people, it is not a big part of their daily diets.

It's easy not to think of water as an essential nutrient. But it is crucial to every bodily function. It boosts the immune system and helps to prevent fatigue. It regulates temperature and aids in circulation, metabolism, and eliminative processes. And on a hot summer day, there's nothing like a tall, cool glass of water to take the heat off.

There has been some debate in recent years about whether or not people need eight glasses of water every day. The exact amount that each person needs is a topic we could endlessly debate. But there's no doubt that we all need to keep ourselves hydrated, because we are losing water all the time. In addition to regular activities, stress, alcohol, and caffeine all contribute to fluid loss.

There are many ways you can keep your water consumption high, including eating foods that have high water contents. But before I offer some practical tips and recipes for getting more water into your diet, here are a few basic recommendations.

• Create a water-drinking habit. Find the tastiest water possible—filtered or bottled, perhaps—and make sure you have access to it all day long.
• Drink water before, during, and after exercise. Water is truly the best beverage for workouts. Unless you are on an extremely strenuous program, there is no need for sports drinks.
• If you drink alcohol, have a glass of water first and then in between alcoholic beverages. You will probably consume less alcohol that way.
• In special situations, such as airline travel, make sure you drink a lot of water. Airplane cabins are bone dry and can promote dehydration.

Increase Your Fluids

You don't have to just drink plain water to increase your water consumption. One way to make sure you get enough is to eat more soup. Soups made with lots of vegetables and with low-sodium vegetable or chicken broths are packed with nutrients.

Vegetables have a lot of water in them, so eating more will help you get more water in your diet. And they taste great, too: On a hot summer day, a large salad with lots of fresh crisp greens really makes for a wonderful meal.

And although munching on vegetables is preferable, vegetable juices can serve as a refreshing alternative to water. Just make sure you choose juices that have no added sugar and are low in sodium.

Herbal teas offer a tasty way to get water; it seems like every time I visit the market, there's a new brand of tea. Fill a pitcher with orange and lemon slices and brew a batch of your favorite decaffeinated tea. Add ice and enjoy a delightful beverage.

Soft drinks are a big part of our culture, but here's a way to create your own healthy sparkling spritzer: Fill a glass ¼ full with your favorite fruit juice. Then fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water (seltzer). A twist of lemon or lime completes your elegant summer beverage. Just be careful when choosing a sparkling water: Flavored waters with just a hint of lemon, lime, or other essences are fine. But some clear beverages also contain sugar and other ingredients. If they do, they are soft drinks and not bottled water, so check the labels carefully.

How about a summer slushy? Just puree your favorite fruit along with some crushed ice and a very small amount of frozen limeade. Sip slowly!

Remember, whether it's the bone-chilling days of winter or the dog days of summer, your body needs lots of water. So grab a tall glass of cool water or a homemade spritzer, and let's toast to your good health!

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The latest cookbook by Robyn Webb, MS, LN, Italian Diabetic Meals In 30 Minutes—Or Less!, is published by the American Diabetes Association. This, as well as other books by Robyn, can be ordered from the Association's online bookstore at http://store.diabetes.org or by calling 1-800-232-6733.