Regular exercise is so important to maintain good health, but how do we keep our bodies healthy while exercising? We need to fuel our bodies and stay hydrated!
Hydration is Key
Summer is finally here which means there’s more opportunities to be outside and active!
While exercising our bodies produce sweat to cool us off. Our bodies need a few key ingredients to make sweat, one of those ingredients being water!
Did you know that our bodies are mostly made up of water? It’s true! On average a human body is 55-60% water (USGS, 2019).
Water is so important for our bodies during exercise because it helps regulate our body temperature, but water has some other very important roles:
- Gets rid of waste that builds in the body
- Cushions and lubricates joints
- Protects sensitive tissues such as our spinal chord
There isn’t a specific recommendation for water intake for all people because water needs vary highly between person to person, but you can still check out the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for more information. In general, water intake should increase for individuals that are more active, and you should especially drink water whenever you feel thirsty.
Healthy Hydration
Did you know that daily water intake includes the water that comes from food? It sure does! For example, if you were to eat a juicy watermelon, that water would be included in your daily water intake.
There are many drink options available to us, but how do we know which ones are healthy for our bodies? It is good to increase consumption of drinks that are low in sugar (such as water), and increase consumption of drinks that have important nutrients (such as milk and 100% fruit or vegetable juice).
MyPlate has some great tips on making healthier drink choices. To see those recommendations check out MyPlate’s article on making better beverage choices, or review the tip sheet included below.
Recipe
These infused water recipes are designed to add a little flavor to your water. I hope that you enjoy staying hydrated while being active this Summer!
