Good Nutrition: Drink Up!

“Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.” Genesis 21:19
 
This story from scripture is about Ishmael, Abraham’s son born of Hagar. After Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away, the boy was nearing death due to dehydration. God intervened, showed Hagar where she could get water and promised her that Ishmael would grow up into the plan God had for him. 
 
In all of our discussions about the need to encourage healthy nutrition, we often overlook a foundation element for our bodies; water. While we pick up a good amount of water in our food, we should be intentional about drinking enough water throughout the day. According to nutritionists, water is the key to our healthy blood supply, boosting our immune system, regulating our body temperature, and maintaining energy and mental focus. Here are a few tips and tricks that I found helpful

• Drinking enough water? No single answer exists for how much water a child should drink, since all kids are different.  A simple way to calculate a minimum amount of water is the one-third rule. If a child weighs 100 pounds, then he or she should drink at least 33 ounces of water a day – or roughly the equivalent of 3 cans of soda (minus the soda, of course).
• How to increase water intake? Most of our fruit juices are loaded with sugars. A can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar, while a can of Minute Maid Cranberry Apple juice has 58 grams of sugar. Make your kids’ juice drink healthier by cutting it in half with tap water. 
• Bottled or tap? While bottled water is portable and convenient, most city tap water supplies are safe, and in some cases add healthy amounts of fluoride. Either way, make water accessible by putting out a water pitcher or urn with some lemons or strawberries in it to give a bit of taste, along with cups ready for filling. 

Camper Corner – Did you know that people can live for weeks without food, but only days without water? Water, by God’s design is critical for our health. Look for ways to increase the amount of water you consume each day, and encourage your friends to do likewise!