Dry Weather. Stay Hydrated!

Before I get started, this last week my cooking endeavor to expand variety was coconut curry! It took a couple tries, but the end-product was truly delicious. I used this recipe from www.realsimple.com. We threw this sauce over pan fried peppers, green onion, and chicken with thin rice noodles. It's actually the first coconut based dish that I've liked! Sometimes you never know until you try it...

I played two basketball games this weekend, and boy was it tough. Why you ask? I got dehydrated every 5 minutes it seemed! This dry weather can do it. I must have drank 3-4 water bottles over two games!

Not many think about it too often, but most realize it's importance. Hydration needs can get us to stop dead in our tracks with what we are doing and force us to find a water fountain, pour an ice, cold glass of water, or hunt down a grocery store to purchase a beverage. At the same time, many popular snacks and their high salt content push that need even further.

So many body functions and qualities depend on being well-hydrated. Skin integrity, lip health, digestion function, attention and alertness, flexibility, teeth health, and body temperature are just a few items that hydration helps with. Recommendations say drinking about 2 liters of water per day, but if you are in dry weather or exercising and losing more fluids than normal, look to drink even more!

Many people believe that caffeinated beverages have dehydrating properties. I have recently learned that caffeine in low to moderate amounts (400mg) does not affect fluid status! This roughly translates to 3 cups of coffee or 6 cups of tea not affecting your hydration status negatively.

So carry around a reusable water bottle, aim for that 2 liters every day, and remember that caffeine does not dehydrate you, and this awful, cold, dry weather will not defeat you! And if it has beaten you, check out my tips for fighting the flu!