The Fredericksburg Area will be seeing some hot temperatures this coming week! It is important to try to stay cool and stay hydrated, especially for small children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
One important step to staying safe in the heat is making sure to drink enough fluids! But not just any fluids, good old fashioned water is the best. You want to drink enough fluids so that your urine is pale yellow or clear. Any darker and you need to drink up!
Juice and other drinks with alot of sugar can actually make you feel worse in the heat. Drinks with caffeine (tea, coffee, sodas, energy drinks) and alcohol can dehydrate you even more. If you or your children do not like to drink water, try some of these tips:
- Some people like water better if it is "ice cold". Keep a pitcher of tap water in the refrigerator to have good, cold water all the time.
- Do not worry about buying bottled water unless you know for a fact that you have water that is unsafe to drink. There are no studies which show bottled water is safer or healthier than tap water. In fact, one study showed that there was no difference at all! Most people in the area have public water which is safe to drink. If you do not like the taste, consider buying a pitcher which filters the water (like Brita). If you regularly buy bottled water, a filter can save you lots of money in the long run.
- Carry around a reusable water bottle and refill it several times a day. Let children have a sippy cup or water bottle with water only in it (children should not carry around a sippy cup with milk or juice in it because they can get tooth decay).
- Get the family used to drinking water when they are thirsty by allowing milk, juice, or other drinks at the table with food only. Water only in between times for heatlhy teeth and bodies!
- Put a lemon, lime, or orange slice in your water for flavor and to make it feel "special".
- Keep sodas, punches, kool aid, and juice boxes for special occassions or parties and drink mostly water for thirst. You will save alot of money over the long run!
** Special note: Infants under the age of one do not need alot of water until they are eating mostly solid foods. Infants get plenty of fluids from breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Take care to keep your baby in the shade and breastfeed or bottle feed on demand (whenever your baby shows you he is hungry)**
Photo is from FreeFoto.com- Allison Leonard RD
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