Welcome to the first issue of the Wellness Wire, a newsletter packed with important and top-of-mind nutrition and wellness information. Among the topics are strategies for surviving the summer allergy season, facts about organically grown foods, staying healthy during cold and flu season and how to stay fit during the holidays. I hope you'll find this newsletter interesting and useful in your own personal quest for optimal health.

Remember, optimal health compels you to choose every day to be your best – by selecting the right foods and supplements, engaging in exercise and rest, and by incorporating healthy habits and balance into everything you do.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions (email: wellnesswire@quixtar.com) so that we can work with you to help you realize the best possible you.

Sam Rehnborg, Ph.D.
President
Nutrilite Health Institute

Sign up for your free monthly issue, and forward it to anyone on your list who might appreciate your help. And for Independent Business Owners, there’s even more …

Stay hydrated and replenished
Susan Randolph, M.S., R.D.

Here they come! Family vacations, road trips, fun in the sun and … dehydration? There’s no faster way to ruin warm weather fun than feeling bad because you’re dehydrated. Staying healthy is easy if you know the signs of dehydration and how much to drink to avoid it.

Signs of dehydration

• Dry lips and tongue
• Headache
• Weakness, dizziness, or fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps
• Darker urine than normal

People most at risk for dehydration
Children: Kids lose water through their skin faster than adults.
Make sure: Your kids should drink 4–8 oz. of fluid before they go outside and 5–9 oz. every 20 minutes while they are outside. Once they come back inside, they should drink 24 oz. more, within the first two hours.

Athletes and exercisers: If you train and compete outside, you may not drink enough to make up for what you lose. Even short bouts of physical activity can increase your fluid needs.
Make sure: You drink 17–20 oz. before you start and an additional 7–10 oz. every 10 to 20 minutes that you’re active. And when you stop, your body still needs more: up to 24 oz. within the first two hours after you’re done.

Outdoor workers: You may not realize that working outside most of the day significantly increases your need for fluids.
Make sure: You should pack containers of water or other drinks in a cooler to take with you and take water breaks at least every two hours.

Older adults: If you’re an older adult, the heat will affect you more intensely – and your sensation of being thirsty is reduced. Dehydration is actually one of the most frequent causes of hospitalizations among people over the age of 65.
Make sure: If you are 65 or older, make it a point to drink every few hours, especially if you spend time outside.

So how much do you need?
There are at least three rules of thumb:

• Replacement approach. The average adult loses 8–10 cups a day under normal conditions. So, if you drink a little more than eight cups a day, along with your normal diet, you can replace what you lose.
• 8 x 8 rule. The thinking goes, if you drink eight 8-oz glasses of water a day, your basics are covered. And though this “rule” isn't supported by scientific evidence, it’s an easy guide to remember.
• Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink about 13 cups of fluids a day and women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding drink about 9 cups a day.

Alternatives to water
If you don’t drink water because it tastes blah, or if you’ve lost electrolytes during exercise, a sports drink is a great option. Studies show that lightly sweetened, flavored, non-carbonated sports drinks do a better job than water of preventing dehydration. Sports drinks help to replace some of the electrolytes you lose through sweat, and they provide carbohydrate energy to working muscles.

Did you know?
Thirst is not always a good way to tell if you need to drink more. During vigorous exercise, your fluid reserves may be lost before you feel thirsty. So make sure that you're well hydrated before, during, and after exercise or exertion.


Contact Us | Change Your Email Subscription Preferences | Read Our Privacy Policy

You can also mail in your request to stop receiving messages to:
Quixtar Inc., Email Preference Change, 7575 Fulton Street East, 58C-2A, Ada, MI 49355