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Five Ways to Get Your Kids to Drink More Water

Leta Shy — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:45:15 PDT

Are your kids getting enough water? Like many people young or old, I find myself falling short on my water goals some days, so I'm happy to try any trick to get myself to drink enough. Are your kids the same? Then read on for five ways to get them to drink more H20, and let me know if you have any other fail-proof tricks!

Stay Hydrated During Long Runs

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:50:42 PDT

Training for a long race like a half or full marathon is physically challenging but can be logistically challenging, too! In the past, one of the biggest problems I've had during 10-plus mile runs is water. I've tried carrying it with me but find on most long runs, it's more annoying then helpful. If you're planning a long run, you should drink 16 to 24 ounces of water an hour before you start; during a run, you should try to drink four to six ounces every 20 minutes or so.

Planning a long run? Here are some suggestions for staying hydrated. And if you have any of your own, please share them!

If you're running in the park: Figure out where the water fountains are before you go. If you've been running in the same public park for many training runs, you probably already know where to find them, so simply plan out your route based on their locations.

Get the rest of my suggestions after the break.

What's in Your Tap Water?

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:00:52 PDT

The age-old question: how safe is tap water? With reports that range from praising the purity of your tap to warning about the possibilities of pharmaceutical-tainted water, do you know the basics of US drinking water? Take this quiz to find out!

Take the Quiz

Tap Water Tainted With Pharmaceutical Drugs

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:00:00 PST

People toss many things down the toilet, and one popular item to flush is unused pharmaceutical drugs. It seems a logical way to get rid of them, but traces of many drugs are showing up in drinking water nationwide. In 2006 and 2007, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, based in Las Vegas, screened 19 water utilities around the US for 51 different compounds. They found traces of pharmaceutical drugs, with the top 11 ranging from the mood-stabilizing drug carbamazepine, used to treat bipolar disorder, to a couple types of antibiotics, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, which is used to treat infections like tonsillitis caused by streptococcus bacteria. Naproxen, an anti-inflammatory used in the over-the-counter painkiller Aleve, was also among the top 11.

The concentration of these drugs in drinking water is a million times lower than medical doses, and is considered to pose no threat to human health. Although pathogen levels found in US drinking water are regulated, pharmaceuticals are not. While the levels of these drugs in our water may not be alarming, their presence serves to remind us about the chemicals that surround us and how we affect our environment.

To see how you should dispose of unused pharmaceuticals, just

The majority of unused pharmaceuticals should be thrown away in the garbage. Better yet, they should be taken to a pharmaceutical take-back program or household hazardous waste collection program. Do read the literature that accompanies the drug, for it is recommended to flush a few highly addictive drugs, and the White House Drug Policy site has a list of drugs you should flush.

Source

Excuse Me EPA, There's Rocket Fuel in My Water

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT

Water is a basic necessity to all life, and the havoc we wreak on this planet eventually shows up in our water. The latest culprit is rocket fuel, or perchlorate, which is also used in fertilizer, fireworks and road flares. (What rocket fuel has to do with growing food is a mystery to me as well.)

Dangerous levels of perchlorate have been found in 395 public water sites, in 35 different states. According to some scientists, the levels of this toxic substance are high enough to interfere with thyroid function and can cause developmental health risks for babies and fetuses. Unfortunately, the EPA just concluded that there is no need to purge this particular contaminate from public drinking water. The draft document from the agency stated that mandating a clean-up level for the rocket fuel would not make a meaningful difference in reducing the risks posed by the chemical.

The EPA is essentially walking away from the issue, stating that the Pentagon did not pressure them, but that their findings are based on science. The Pentagon was a major contributor to the problem having used perchlorate in their aerospace and missile programs. The EPA does recognize that there are risks associated with the chemical and will work with states to reduce them. In fact, California and Massachusetts have already created laws regulating the amount of perchlorate allowed in public drinking water.

I must say this freaks me out a bit, and the fact that perchlorate has been found in lettuce fuels my fear (pun intended) even more. How do you feel about it? Tell me in the comments section below.

Source

Scared of Tap Water? Get an iStraw!

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:31:18 PDT

I know a lot of folks who won't go near tap water. They are terrified of dirty water and need to make sure it's filtered. While that's not an unreasonable request, it's sometimes difficult. What if there is no water filter? Or what if you're traveling? This is where the geeky iStraw comes in hand. This compact, portable device purifies water and reduces up to 99.99999% of all waterborne bacteria. It's good for up to 500 liters of water and supposedly leaves no after taste.

I think this is pretty fantastic and can see where it would come in handy. Sure your friends might laugh at how over-cautious you're acting, but who'll be laughing when they get sick from drinking the water and you don't? Available for £19.99 (approximately $40).

Source: TrendHunter

The Lowdown on Hydrating Recovery Drinks

Heather Dale — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:51:54 PDT

Use this nutritional comparison chart the next time you go grab a thirst-quenching low-cal drink, and you'll be better informed about what selection to make. I've pitted the biggest brands against one another to see how they deliver in the nutrients and low-cal department. Labels can often be confusing, so hopefully this chart will help!

Formula For Drinking Water

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:00:00 PST

Trying to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily can be a bit confusing. We all hold onto the figure of 64 ounces of water a day as the optimal amount, but this is really just a generic figure that has gained mythical status. Here is a little weight based formula to help you to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily.

Take your current weight and divide by two.
Take that number and drink that many ounces of water a day.
So if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day. Pretty close to the mythical figure of 64 ounces, huh?

If you exercise for under an hour an extra glass or two of water should do the trick of replenishing fluids lost though sweating, but if you are exercising for over 60 minutes you will need more. Plus if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you need more water as well. Pregnant women should drink at least 10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily, and breastfeeding moms need between 12 and 13 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.

Fit's Tip: An easy way to make sure you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. Your pee should be very pale yellow, if not you need to increase your consumption of water.

An Everyday Athlete Is Still an Athlete

espnW — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:59:39 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Risa Isard

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was signed into law, leveling the playing field for female athletes. To mark the 40th anniversary, espnW explore the impact of this landmark legislation.

You might not know me, but chances are you know someone like me. I'm that girl who grew up playing hoops in the driveway with my dad and brother every night after dinner. The one who played rec soccer for 10 years, starting out on a boys team. The one who persuaded her middle-school gym teacher to let her run the monthly timed mile against boys, then wrote her target time on her arm - in permanent marker. The one who took field day just a little too seriously.

The one who is thankful every day for Title IX.

Counting down the best of the past 40 years

Growing up, I wasn't an elite athlete, but I had passion to spare. I ran, jumped, threw, and kicked on a daily basis and eventually I found my calling in high school track and cross country. I was good (I earned seven varsity letters), but not good enough for the next level.

So when I arrived at Duke nearly four years ago, I found myself wondering something that had never crossed my mind before: was I still an athlete?

Answering that question was no easy task. As I read about various elite athletes, I recognized our shared pasts. Like gymnast Jordyn Wieber, I used to pull old cushions into the middle of the family room and do cartwheels, somersaults, and front handsprings. Like many WNBA stars, I was the only girl in neighborhood basketball games. I lacked their natural ability, but I came to realize that we are connected through dreams and experiences. We all began by thinking of ourselves as athletes and scheduling our lives around sports at a young age. That doesn't just go away.

Read on for more.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Makes You Stupid, Omega-3s Make You Smart

Leta Shy — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:56:36 PDT

As if you needed another reminder to stop eating processed foods: a new study has found that foods high in high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) can make you stupid. But there's good news, too: eating foods high in omega-3s can help combat loss of brain function.

The study looked at different groups of rats that had been trained on a maze. After a few days on the maze, some of the rats were fed an HFCS-sweetened solution as their drinking water for six weeks, with some also receiving a diet high in omega-3s. After the diet, the rats were tested on how well they could recall the maze. The researchers found that the rats who ate the omega-3 diet were faster at completing the maze than the other rats, whether or not they were also given HFCS. Not only that, but the rats given the HFCS and not omega-3s were the slowest at completing the maze, and their brains showed a decline in activity and memory function.

This latest lab study is yet more evidence that processed foods can mess with our minds (other studies, for example, have linked fast food to depression) and that a diet high in omega-3s can help protect your brain from aging and mental decline. Ready to swap that fast-food burger for a mind-sharpening meal instead? Here's a list of vegan sources of omega-3s and five staples of the omega-3-rich Mediterranean diet.