Water, Water Everywhere

When most people think of nutrition they think of eating their fruits and veggies, but a vital part of a person’s health and well being has to do with drinking water. Water is one of the most important nutrients our bodies need on a daily basis, yet if often neglected.

 

Because children are more active than adults they can become dehydrated faster than adults. So it’s important to pay attention to how much water your child is getting each day. Plus, young children are at more of a risk for dehydration because their thirst mechanism is not fully developed. That means they can’t always tell you when they are thirsty.

 

By the time a person is thirsty and goes to get that refreshing glass of water, they are already becoming dehydrated. That is why it is so important to get in those 6 -8 glasses of H2O a day!

 

Did you know…

 

• 2/3 of your body is water weight…
• Water makes up 83% of blood…
• Water accounts for 22% of bones…
• Water removes waste…
• Water regulates body temperature…
• Water helps absorb nutrients…
• Water makes up 90% of lungs…

 

Fitting water into your day…

 

Make a game out of it. Challenge your older kids to think of ways to get their 8 glasses in. Water, like exercise, does not have to be consumed all in one sitting. Split the portions out throughout the day.

 

Track it. Create a visual chart so your children can see just how much water they drank in one day. If the child didn’t drink all the water, talk about how they can get more in the next day.

 

Your drink – they drink. As rule of thumb, when you pour yourself a glass of water, pour one for your child too.

 

So just how much do we need?

 

Adults need six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That is about 1 ½ to 2 quarts.

 

Children, just like adults need six to eight glasses of water per day, but the portion sizes are different.

 

1 serving =

½ cup for children age 2 years

¾ cup for children ages 3 – 5 years

1 cup children 6 years and up

 

Flavored Water Recipe:

**Add sparkling water for a bubbly, fizzy treat***

 

Mixed Fruit Water

Ingredients:

4 slices orange

4 slices lemon

4 slices lime

1 peach, cut into quarters

½ cup strawberries

½ cucumbers

1 quart filled with water

 

Directions:

Slice each ingredient and add to water.

Refrigerate and steep for 4 hours.