Natural refreshment - Special Report - water, health, and dehydration

* The Superior Beverage

A recent study conducted at the Center for Human Nutrition in Omaha, Nebraska, has received a lot of attention. The study indicates caffeinated beverages contribute to our fluid needs, even though they act as diuretics (i.e., draw water from the body to produce more urine). Kleiner warns the results of this study have been misinterpreted by the media. "The study was based on people drinking two cups of coffee, which counted towards their total fluid consumption for the day. They found that two cups of caffeinated beverages didn't cause dehydration," she says.

"There are two interesting points of this study," states Kleiner. "Two cups a day is probably the limit of caffeinated beverages you can consume without initiating dehydration. In a German study, people who consumed six cups of coffee a day were mildly dehydrated. Between the two studies, you can see the difference as a dose response. The good news is you can enjoy a little coffee and count it towards your total fluid consumption for the day, but that doesn't mean caffeinated beverages [can] replace water." The second finding showed eight cups of fluid a day isn't enough. "My recommendations are 9 to 11 cups a day," says Kleiner. "For additional caffeinated beverages, drink an extra hall to one cup of water per beverage to counterbalance the diuretic effects."

Many of us think we are too busy to heed our thirst, thus exposing ourselves to a host of avoidable ailments. There are few health practices as easy to adopt, with such rewards, as drinking water. The inconvenience pales in comparison to how great we feel when adequately hydrated.

Tips for Quenching Your Thirst

* Have a Plan

Just as you plan your meals, have a water plan, too. Drink a glass of water in the morning and before going to sleep. To stay alert during your day, take a water break at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Keep a water bottle handy and, if necessary, schedule your water goal into your daily planner.

* Mind the Cues

By the time you feel thirsty, dehydration is already underway. Reports from the Mayo Clinic indicate mild dehydration symptoms can include lethargy, anxiety, constipation, loss of appetite, headaches and mental fogginess.

* Added Measures

Drink more than usual if you are flying in a plane, ill, exposed to extreme weather (cold weather and high altitudes are just as dehydrating as sizzling summer days), pregnant or nursing. While working out, drink an extra eight ounces of water for every 20 minutes you exercise.

* Drink What Counts

Satisfy your thirst with flavored, sparkling, carbonated or bottled water. Milk, juice and tea are a close second, but limit caffeinated beverages to two cups (16 ounces) a day.

* Cold Slows You Down

The University of Bristol in England found evidence that drinking cold water before an important event may decrease your physical or mental performance by as much as 15 percent. Drink room temperature water on your big day, so your body doesn't use extra energy to warm the water.