Drink Water and Eat Dairy!

The story goes something like this, folks were standing around complaining about so much rain they were getting and one of them asked the Pope what he thought about the rain.  The Pope responded with just one word, “Life.”

March in the National Nutrition Month and I have been writing a series of articles about Healthy Habits as they are part of our foundation of life.  Without them, we handicap ourselves in all area’s of our lives.

Today’s article is Healthy Habit 10 Drinking Water and Eating Dairy.  Both are essential to our bodies being healthy and functioning properly. 

Glass of Refreshing Water

• Your blood is over 80 percent water and needs water to make healthy new blood cells.
• Your bones are over 50 percent water and, you guessed it, need water to make healthy new bone cells.
• Drinking more water actually helps lessen pain in your body by getting your lymphatic system moving. The lymphatic system is a network of nodes, tubes, vessels, and fluid that move waste out of your tissues. It requires water to function properly.
• Water helps to eliminate wastes and toxins from your body through the lymphatic system, kidneys, and intestines.
• Water lubricates your joints and helps reduce joint pain and protect against wear and tear.
• Water regulates your metabolism so if you’re overweight chances are you may need more water.
• Water balances body temperature.
• Water helps to ensure adequate electrical functioning so your brain and nervous system function properly. 
• Water alleviates dehydration .
• Every cell and organ in your body requires adequate water to function properly.

Dairy Products

March is National Nutrition Month by improving your bone health and adding protein, potassium and vitamin A and D to your eating plan, all be eating dairy.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that the average adults eats 3 cups of dairy each day, and the healthiest milk group choices should be fat-free or low-fat and should be a good source of calcium, such as:

• Low-fat cheese in a sandwich
• Yogurt dips with vegetables
• Low-fat shredded cheese on soups and salads
• Evaporated low-fat or fat-free milk in recipes that call for cream
• Prepare instant oatmeal with low-fat or fat-free milk in place of water. Top with dried cranberries and almonds