I'll Drink to That

By Linda Goldfarb
Certified Physical Fitness Specialist

CBN.com – Have you taken the time to think about what beverage you are going to send off to school or to work with your loved one? From my experience, I’ve found that our population as a whole lacks the whole truth concerning liquid refreshment. Let’s face it: we are well beyond the days of only having water to drink, and though you might think a variety of choices is always good, it can also be confusing or, in some cases, deceiving.

Over the years I have talked-the-talk long and hard about the benefits of water to the body during my seminars on health and nutrition. And I am still amazed at the number of highly educated people who make statements such as “I just don’t like water, so I’m not going to drink it!” This proves that many of us lack the truth about water. So allow me a moment to share, and at the same time, we will discover truth about our other choices as well.

First of all, we need to recognize that our bodies are made of mostly water: around 50% for adults and 75% for children; therefore, it would be a great idea to supply those bodies with that one particular ingredient, don’t you think?

Sadly, our tendency is to stay far away from water, as though it were something bad. We choose instead to consume massive quantities of coffee, tea, soda, and juice drinks that have caffeine, phosphoric acid, and for some, high quantities of sugar.

Thus, we limit ourselves in drinking what God provided for us in the first place, water. God created an awesome wonder in the human body. We simply have to choose to make the best choices when it comes to beverages that keep our bodies working the way they were meant to.

It is recommended that we drink half our body weight in ounces daily. That means that for a 120-pound person, the recommended dose is eight to ten 6 oz glasses of water a day. Water will do wonders for our skin, hair, bowels (helps relieve or eliminate constipation), endurance (stamina), digestion, and mental alertness. It also helps keep the urinary tract healthy. If urine is dark, it can be a sign of blood, possibly caused by the lack of water in our system; when the urine stream is clear, we are drinking enough water. And water also helps with weight loss. We retain water when we don’t give our systems enough to use daily. Our bodies use energy to utilize the water so that our metabolism increases.

Limit caffeine-containing coffees, teas, and colas, as these have a diuretic effect, encouraging our bodies to eliminate more water and cause dehydration.This precaution is especially important if your hydration is already marginal, such as while you are exercising or if you are sick. You can check your hydration by pinching the skin on the back of your hand. If it snaps back quickly, it’s a good sign of hydration; if it remains pinched up on your hand or slowly returns to normal, hydration may be a concern. Sugared drinks can also rob you of water, since sugar may lessen the absorption of water from the intestines. Drinking large amounts of juices that are high in sugar (such as prune and pear juice) or even overdosing on apple juice can produce diarrhea-like stools and increase water loss from the intestines.

Sports drinks are very popular right now, proven by the fact that the classic Gatorade® has many competitors in the market. Just be careful to consume sports drinks when you are actively burning the calories that will compensate for the calories you are taking in, or you may find yourself and your children in a weight gaining cycle. What I mean by this is if we consume sport drinks during a leisurely afternoon walk or while sitting in front of the TV, we will not burn it off as easily as we would during a scrimmage of football or soccer. It is true that Gatorade® , packed with the electrolytes potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium, will provide energy during intense workouts, but it will also add calories to the mix.

Grams = gr. Milligrams = mg.

			gr.	gr.	gr.	mg.	mg.	gr.	gr.
Beverages	Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fiber	Sodium	Cholesterol	Unsat. fat	Sat. fat
Coffee	6 fl oz	3	0	0.5	0	2	0	0	0
Vegetable Juice	8 fl oz	41	2.2	8.7	0.8	484	0	0.1	0
Soft Drinks	12 fl oz	159	0	40	0	20	0	0	0
Water	12 fl oz	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gatorade®	8 fl oz	50	0	14	0	110	0	0	0
Juicy Juice® 100% Fruit Juice	6 fl oz	100	0	24	0	15	0	0	0

By looking at the chart, you will note the similarities and differences in a variety of beverages. If you are being told by your physician or healthcare provider to limit sodium in your diet, then vegetable juice would not be one of your first choices. The same could be said about some sport drinks.

If you want to cut back on calories, don’t reach for soda. Be sure to read the labels on everything you consume before your twist the top and chug it, or sip it down.

I listed Juicy Juice® down as an alternate to sodas for our children. It’s 100-percent juice, less calories, and it doesn’t contain phosphoric acid like the majority of dark sodas do. The phosphoric acid leeches the calcium out of our bodies every time we drink it and urinate. And, I’m sad to report, there are more children today drinking soda like it was water. Some parents go so far as to put soda in the bottles of their babies to satisfy their hunger. This causes a triple-whammy: the higher calories lead to obesity, the empty calories don’t benefit the child nutritionally, and the phosphoric acid is weakening their bones. Check out “brittle bone disease.” We have higher cases today in children and youth than in our history.

If you still dislike the idea of consuming large quantities of water on a daily basis, add some lemon or lime juice to your water, or as a last resort, choose to eat water-rich foods like watermelon, soups, juice-popsicles, vegetables, and fruit smoothies. Really, any way to get water into our system is better than adding none at all.

I hope you will take this time to sit down with your family to get them thinking about healthy alternatives when it comes to their beverages of choice. Honestly parents, every chance I get, I talk healthy lifestyle to our kids (not just my biological children – everyone I can get in front of) and they “get it”.

I would prefer an occasional soda over one every day. Use it as a “treat” if you need to, but encourage water. If you provide it, they will drink. When we lead by example and give our families good items to choose from, chances are they will choose correctly. Go for it!

Linda Goldfarb is a certified physical fitness specialist, speaker, and syndicated radio talk show host. You can download her weekly “Not Just Talkin’ the Talk” radio broadcasts, a one hour variety talk show based out of San Antonio, Texas, at www.lindagoldfarb.com. Linda’s show encourages listeners to “walk the walk” spiritually, physically, and relationally each and every day. Contact Linda to speak at your next event: linda@lindagoldfarb.com. (Photo Copyright © Lisa Pittman Photography).

NOTE: Before beginning any new fitness program that requires a change in diet or exercise, it is recommended that you consult your physician for input. This informational series is not intended for medical or nutritional claims dependent on substantial clinical studies and FDA approval, and should not be construed as a claim for cure, treatment, or prevention of any disease. It is intended solely for information and educational purposes. Linda is not a physician or expert in the medical field. She has been involved in the health and fitness industry as a personal trainer and fitness instructor for numerous years. The information given in these sessions have been derived from books and materials brought together over the years from many sources, including her personal life experiences.