Yesterday I did a little Senior nutrition presentation at a retirement home in Ballard. We talked a bit about water- it's so important and for seniors, their thirst signal diminishes as they age. I always like to point out one way I know hydration is so important- in the hospital it seems that they routinely give everyone fluids as soon as they are admitted. Yes, it's the easy way to give medications, but I think it also speaks to how often sick people are dehydrated as well. Your body works best when well hydrated- it's such a huge part of your immune system. Your very first defense against germs is your mouth, lungs, intestinal system, etc. If you are dried out, that defense system doesn't work as well. Recently I heard that they no longer push for you to get 8 glasses of water a day. Apparently our thirst keeps us pretty well hydrated. I still think we need to remind ourselves to drink more- place a cup at your desk, keep water bottles in your bag or purse, have a glass in the bathroom. Remember- if you drink coffee or caffeinated soda, you need even more water because caffeine acts as a diuretic- taking more water off our bodies.
Great advice on drinking water and you are right on about the elderly. Dehydration really puts the elderly at risk for urinary tract infections.
ReplyDeleteI want to comment on an older post- the one with the cinnamon roll recipe. I have made the recipe twice now and it has been a hit both times! I took the second batch to a golf tourney I was working at as a fund raiser for the Heart and Home Hospice Foundation. Everyone loved those cinnamon rolls! This is the first time I have been able to make really good cinnamon rolls. Thanks for sharing this great recipe! Nancy