We all need it! And I’d bet my gold tooth that you’ve been told at least once in your life “drink 8 glasses of water a day to stay healthy”. Am I right? The old 8×8 rule (drink eight, 8 oz glasses of water per day) isn’t backed by solid research but it’s a popular phrase for a few reasons….1. it’s easy to remember and 2. there is some truth to it. We may not all need exactly 64 oz of plain water each day to maintain adequate hydration, but it is definitely wise to make water your drink of choice. Thankfully, most people are able to meet their daily fluid needs with very little effort….let thirst be your guide!

Why should I drink water?

Our bodies are estimated to be about 60-70% water and that water is needed in just about every area of our bodies (blood, muscles, joints, organs, etc.)

Water does lots of amazing things like…

• helps to regulate body temperature
• flushes toxins from the body
• lubricates joints
• helps to prevent constipation
• improves heart health and skin
• helps to control appetite and weight (1)
• improves sleep and energy levels (2)
• reduces the likelihood of dental cavities or tooth decay (3)
• helps to manage chronic health conditions (i.e. diabetes mellitus) (4)

So how much water should I drink?

The amount of fluid (not just water) we need each day depends on a few things like age, gender, level of activity, overall health, climate/elevation, and the amount of water consumed from food and other beverages. In general, 80% of the water we consume comes from plain water and other beverages (juice, coffee, soda, tea, etc.). The remaining 20% comes from food. While there is no single formula for fluid needs that fits everyone (i.e. the 8×8 rule) the chart below can serve as a rough estimate for fluid needs based on age and gender.

Check out the chart below to see how much fluid you need:

Is it possible to drink too much water?

Yes. Rare, but true. It is possible to drink too much water, believe it or not. When you drink excessive amounts of water, you can develop hyponatrmia (an electrolyte imbalance in which the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low and can result in mild to serious health problems).

In general, if you drink enough fluid so that you’re not thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow, you’re probably getting enough fluid. If you’re concerned at all about your fluid intake or have other health concerns, I would recommend checking with your doctor.

6 ways to get more water…

1. Add sliced fruit to ice water (limes, lemons, oranges, raspberries, etc.).
2. Make a “spa water” – add slices of cucumber and a basil leaf to ice water.
3. Make a fresh fruit seltzer (add fresh fruit or 2 oz 100% fruit juice to seltzer water or plain water).
4. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go (in a purse, in a backpack, in the car, to work, school, etc.).
5. Have a cup of herbal tea without the added sweeteners (try: green tea, peppermint, chamomile, lemon, etc.).
6. Have a glass of water (plain or flavored) with meals and snacks.

I’m thristy….time for a drink.

Below are a few quick guidelines on making healthy beverage choices.

Look for drinks with 10 calories or less per serving (except for milk…milk is OK). I recommend staying hydrated with mostly water and milk.

Choose

• Water and lots of it (enough to stay hydrated)
• Seltzer water
• Naturally sweetened fruit flavored sparkling water (Whole Foods, Polar, Poland Springs)
• Herbal teas (peppermint is a favorite)
• Crystal Light Pure (sweetened with Stevia)
• Vitamin Water Zero (sweetened with Stevia)
• Milk/milk substitute (rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk) drink with calcium!

As a general rule, I make an effort to go very easy on the drinks listed below. Drinks with 10 calories or more per serving can quickly turn into a liquid deathtrap of sugar and wasted calories.

Limit/Avoid

• Regular soda
• Juice/juice drinks
• Flavored milks
• Milkshakes and large smoothies (not homemade)
• Coffee drinks
• Iced teas/lemonades
• Sports/Energy drinks
• Most drinks with artificial sweeteners

Here are a few beverage FAQs

What about milk? Can’t I get my calcium from foods like broccoli?

• Milk (either cow’s milk or from vegan source) is an excellent source of calcium and we all need calcium. Yes, it is true that you can get calcium from foods like broccoli, BUT you would need to eat an obscene amount of broccoli to meet your calcium needs from food alone. For example, women between 19-50 years old need 1,000 mg of calcium in a day and 1/2 cup of raw broccoli contains 21 mg. A serving 8oz of cow’s milk or soy milk contains 300mg. The math speaks for itself. Even if you are not a fan of cow’s milk, there are so many tasty calcium rich alternatives to try! Here are a few to consider: Silk, Dream, Blue Diamond.

Is it OK for my kids to have drinks with artificial sweeteners?

• This is really up to you. The research suggests that artificial sweeteners are safe. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of consuming large quantities of unnecessary man-made chemicals in my foods and beverages.  I will occasionally have a diet soda but that’s about it. I would not serve these drinks to my children if that helps.

How much juice should I give to my kids?

• Infants under 6 months of age should not be given juice
• Infants between 6 and 12 months can drink up to 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day in a cup (not a bottle)
• Children aged 1 to 6 years should have only 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day
• Everyone else….skip the juice and eat the whole fruit!

Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics

The fruit that I used for this smoothie was picked fresh! Kevin and I picked blackberries and blueberries a couple of weeks ago and these are some of the fruits of our labor. Pun intended.

Blackberry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz raspberry/apple juice or 8 oz 1% milk
• 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• sliced peaches as a garnish

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender or smoothie maker (starting with the liquid) and blend on med/high until fully smooth (about 3 minutes)
2. Enjoy with the cereal bars (recipe below)

Liz and Sara are both very talented cooks and super creative when it comes to inventing new recipes. The cereal bar recipe below has been adapted from Liz’s original recipe to include my favorite fruits, nuts, cereals.

Homemade Cereal Bars (Thank you, Liz!)

Ingredients

• 2 cups of old fashioned oats
• 2 cups of multigrain Cheerios or Kashi Heart to Heart cereal
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (first 4 ingredients listed)
2. In a medium sized sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients and heat on low/medium heat stirring regularly until fully combined.
3. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and combine until dry mixture is thoroughly coated.
4. Place the cereal bar mixture into a baking pan (8×8) and place into the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool/set.
5. Once cooled, slice the mixture into bars of desired size. Enjoy!

Thank you again! I miss you guys.

Last Thursday morning when I got to work, I was handed a frothing cup of bright green liquid.

I cannot remember ever drinking anything bright green. Let me take that back. A few years ago my dad insisted that I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a green Coors Light. So I did. Thankfully, I have yet to repeat that mistake.

Mental note to self: Coors Light (regardless of color) is gross.

Anyway, the bright green liquid that I was given was a spinach and avocado smoothie created by my co-workers at Children’s Hospital Boston for kids participating in a research study. The study that we work on encourages kids to try new foods. This smoothie will be one of them. We like kids to try new foods…green foods…like avocado and spinach…and other foods like tofu and agave nectar.  It  may sound wild, but there are many of kids out there who have never even laid eyes on an avocado!

This smoothie might look unappealing, but it is so good! I liked it so much that I asked for the recipe so that I could make it at home and share it here.

Thank you Curtis, Linda, Liz, Nicolle, and Sara for an unexpected and amazingly satisfying Thursday morning breakfast. Thanks for sharing this award-winning recipe!

I think you were right, Linda. The honeycrisp is essential.

The Green Monsta: A spinach and avocado smoothie courtesy of my co-workers at Children’s Hospital Boston

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh baby spinach (rinsed)
• 1/2 of a whole avocado (peeled and sliced)
• 1 package of silken tofu
• 1 honeycrisp apple with the skin (rinsed, cored, and sliced)
• 8 oz of orange juice (calcium fortified)
• Honey or agave nectar (to taste)
• Ice

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker until completely smooth (about 5 minutes)
2. Makes about 4 (8oz cups)
3. Enjoy!

And now the update…

My brother, Matt, the web designer, is going to be re-designing this site over the next few weeks. I would appreciate any suggestions related to design!

If you have a blender and five minutes then you have time for breakfast. I normally eat cereal for breakfast, but variety keeps life interesting. This smoothie is super simple. It has just 3 ingredients and can be ready in 5 minutes. I used Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt because it has a lot more protein which keeps you feeling full (that’s a good thing).

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh organic raspberries that have been frozen
• 1 cup  of pomegranate Greek yogurt
• 1/2  cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

Directions

1. In a blender, combine the above ingredients until smooth.
2. Enjoy as a quick breakfast or midnight snack.

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Who’s Hu Ke Lau?

My dad has a special juice glass that he has used since he was a child. It’s a six-ounce juice glass with a faded tropical scene and the words “Hu Ke Lau” written across the front. I don’t know where he got it but he cherishes that glass. My dad is a rough guy who is constantly covered in sawdust, and as a result, the last person who comes to mind when the topic of antique glassware is mentioned.

Nevertheless, Hu Ke Lau is basically a part of our family. If it sounds odd to you that I am referring to an inanimate object as a part of our family, think about how much stranger it is for me.

Today, I used Hu Ke Lau for my blueberry smoothie recipe. Welcome to Hollywood, Hu Ke Lau.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1 ripe banana (preferably, frozen)
• 1 (6 oz) container of Greek yogurt (I used blueberry pomegranate)
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 cup of ice

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Makes 4 (8 oz) servings

What’s your favorite smoothie?