Don’t Forget the Water
It’s Important to Our Health All Year Long
While the heat of the summer and the dry air of the fall may have passed, it is still important to drink plenty of
fluids, a practice that sometimes falls by the wayside in winter. “Don’t let the cold of winter fool you,” says Chris
Sneed, a specialist with University of Tennessee Extension Family and Consumer Sciences. “Fluids are
important for your body year round.”
Sneed adds that when choosing fluids, nothing beats simple - yet refreshing - water. “Water is important to
life – your life,” he says. “Water makes up approximately two-thirds of your body’s weight and plays an
essential role in nearly every function of your body. Water is necessary to digest food, cushion joints, keep body
temperature normal, and eliminate waste from the body.”
Sneed further explains that water is used continually by your body and must be replaced continually. If this
water is not replaced, a person can become dehydrated. “We often think of dehydration as a problem during
the hot summer days, yet, dehydration can be a problem all year long even during the winter months. Children
especially infants, the elderly and individuals with chronic diseases are at a higher risk of suffering from
dehydration.”
Sneed offers these tips for choosing water more often:
Keep a covered pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Keep the pitcher where it can easily be seen when you
open the refrigerator.
Have a glass of water before and after work. Offer your children water before and after school.
Bring water along when you leave home.
Try to have at least one glass of water with each meal or snack.
Buy reusable water containers that can be refilled at work or school.
Choose water when eating out. You will save money and reduce calories.
For more information about healthy lifestyle choices, contact Amy Elizer, UT Extension family and consumer
sciences agent at 668-8543 or aelizer@utk.edu.
