Live Healthy Live Well

With nicer weather we spent more time outside being active.  Perhaps, you are on a sports team, and as the temperatures get hotter you need something to drink.  Water is the best drink, but there are times we may need something else or think we do.

The American Insitute for Cancer Research (AICR) checked with sports dietitians about sport drinks and what they would recommend.  Their recommendations were:

1.      If you are doing low to moderate intensive activity such as walking, that lasts less than 60 minutes, water is a best choice to drink before, during, and after exercise.

2.      If you are participating in moderate to high intensity activity lasting longer than 60 minutes, sport drinks are a good option, especially when you need to replace carbohydrates and electrolytes.

3.      Following physical activity you should always drink enough fluid to replace fluid you lost during exercise (water is an excellent choice).  After long, intense activity, you may need to replace fluid and sodium losses with watery foods that contain some salt such as soup or vegetable juice.  You can replace fluid and potassium losses by eating fruits and vegetables.

Try making your own sports drink by using ½ cup of 100% juice and adding 1 cup of water.  You will have a drink with less calories, more potassium, and less sodium than a sports drink.  You will also not have any added sugar which is in sports drinks.

Reference:  “Replenish and Refresh:  Top Thirst Quenchers for Summer Workouts”  American Institute for Cancer Research eNews from at http://aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=19317&news_iv_ctrl=2303