Words on Wellness

Refresh Yourself with Water for Summer Exercise

     The human body is 60 percent water. Our cells need water to:

     • Remove waste

     • Control body temperature

     • Lubricate and cushion joints

     • Protect sensitive tissues

     Water is vital to regulate body temperature during exercise in the summer heat. Lack of water can lead to extreme thirst, fatigue, and dizziness. Dehydration is particularly dangerous for your children and older adults.

     How much water do we need to be drinking? Adults should get 9 to 14 cups of fluid a day. Generally, if your urine is pale or colorless, you are getting enough.

     Remember, you can also drink and eat other things beside water to get the fluid you need:

     • 100 percent juice (no more than 1 cup a day)

     • Milk

     • Fruit

     • Non-starchy vegetables

     • Tea

     • Coffee

     • Sports drinks (if you’re sweating a lot)

     For more about your water needs, visit mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art20044256.

Sunny Vitamin D

     Did you know your skin helps make vitamin D for your body? Sun exposure enables your skin to produce Vitamin D. Researchers suggest that just 5 to 30 minutes a day, a couple days each week, is enough to make Vitamin D.

     Getting enough Vitamin D keeps your bones and muscles healthy. Vitamin D may also help:

     • Decrease inflammation

     • Prevent certain cancers

     • Improve brain function

     Adults ages 51 to 70 years should aim for 15 micrograms (mcg) of Vitamin D in their diet each day. Those ages 70 years and older should aim for 20 mcg daily. This does not include the Vitamin D provided by the skin. There are very few foods that offer Vitamin D. The list below is foods that offer Vitamin D. Try to include these foods in your regular meal plan:

     • Trout – 3 ounces, 16.2 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Salmon – 3 ounces, 14.2 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Tuna (canned) – 3 ounces, 5.7 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Dairy milk (fortified) – 1 cup, 3.2 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Soy milk (fortified) – 1 cup, 2.9 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Ready-to-eat cereal (fortified) – 1 serving, 2.0 mcg of Vitamin D

     • Large egg with yolk – 1, 1.1 mcg of Vitamin D