“Make room for water wellness” means to actively incorporate drinking more water into your daily routine, prioritizing it as a key element of your overall health and wellbeing by consistently keeping a water bottle nearby, setting reminders to drink water throughout the day, and potentially even adding flavorful elements like fruits or herbs to enhance your water intake. Many neglect adequate hydration, undermining their health and youthful appearance with hydrated skin from within. Let’s delve into why prioritizing water intake is pivotal for optimal wellness.

Speaking of wellness and healthy living, I encourage you to sign up for the “Med instead of Meds” Culinary Nutrition Classes being offered at the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Beaufort County Center. The Center is located in the Ag. Building at 155 Airport Road in Washington. These 5 fun hands-on cooking classes will teach healthy principles of the Mediterranean Lifestyle. The classes will be offered on Thursday evenings January 30 – February 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for adults. There is a registration fee of $50 per person for the entire series to help offset the food cost. Participants will follow food safety guidelines as we prepare recipes from the “Med instead of Meds” program and we will enjoy sampling from a delicious and colorful buffet each class. The space is limited so be sure and call the BC Extension Center at 252-946-0111 for more information. 

Why is drinking water essential for wellness care?

Drinking enough water is crucial for hydration, immunity, weight management, pain reduction, and overall wellness. Water is the single most natural substance we can take into our body. We are after all, made up of 70% water ourselves. Why then, do so few of us drink the amount of water essential for our bodies to function optimally daily? Don’t think too carefully about the answer to this question; suffice to say that many of us simply don’t drink enough plain, pure water.

Hydration is crucial:  Water is essential for bodily functions like digestion, temperature regulation, and nutrient transport, making adequate hydration vital for overall health. 

Mindful drinking:  Be conscious about sipping water regularly throughout the day, not just when you feel thirsty. Start your day with a glass of water. 

Easy access:  Keep a reusable water bottle readily available at work, home, and on the go. 

In addition to drinking water a simple way to get more water is to eat more foods that are high in water. Fruits and vegetables that are particularly high in water include:

• Lettuce: 96% water
• Celery: 95% water
• Zucchini: 95% water
• Cabbage: 92% water
• Watermelon: 91% water
• Cantaloupe: 90% water
• Honeydew melon: 90% water

In addition to their high fluid content, these fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote your overall health.

Track your intake: Use a water tracking app or a simple log to monitor your daily water consumption helps to be consistent from day to day.

How to “make room for water wellness”:

• Morning routine: Start your day with a glass of water as soon as you wake up.
• Set reminders: Use your phone or smart watch to set alarms to remind you to drink water.
• Carry a bottle: Always have a reusable water bottle with you.
• Infuse your water: Add fruits, herbs, or cucumber slices to your water for flavor.
• Before meals: Drink a glass of water before each meal 

I big deal in improving our health and wellness is to drink beverages that are sugar free and calorie free like water and infused water. The updated Nutrition Facts label highlights “Added Sugars” which makes it easier than ever before to make informed nutrition decisions! Added sugars are any sugar that is added during the processing of foods–they do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables. Added sugars do not provide any nutritional value other than calories. There is strong evidence that sugary drinks consumed regularly increase the risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Ideally, less than 6 percent of our calories should come from added sugars. For someone who eats typically 2,000 calories a day, staying under 6 percent leaves less than 120 calories or about 7 teaspoons of added sugar per day.

We know that added sugars exist in many obvious foods such as spiced lattes, cakes, candy, cookies, and pies, but added sugars can also be hidden in foods that you may not expect. Don’t be fooled by health food buzzwords–read the nutrition label and discover the facts. Below are some common foods that appear healthy.

Fruit-flavored yogurt. This may sound like a healthy option, but some fruit-flavored yogurt can have as much added sugar as a candy bar. Since yogurt can be a good source of protein, a better alternative is unflavored yogurt topped with fresh fruit.

Protein bars. Protein bars can seem like an easy grab-and-go snack option, however many of them contain large amounts of saturated fats and sugar (or sugar alcohols). A better alternative to a packaged protein bar would be to try a well-balanced snack (carbohydrate + protein + fat) such as almonds and a banana.

Flavored oatmeal. There are excessive amounts of sugar in a typical flavored oatmeal packet such as cinnamon apple. If you are looking for a grab-and-go oatmeal, try taking a plain oatmeal packet and pairing it with a bit of peanut butter or fresh fruit. If you want cinnamon and apple simply add these to your oatmeal yourself.

Med Morning Muesli

Serves 2 large bowls (2 cups) or 4 small bowls (1 cup)

Muesli

Muesli by any other name is cold oatmeal – and it rocks! When we see Muesli in the stores in the US it is a cold, ready-to-eat cereal like granola. While this is technically muesli, this recipe is very different. It is a cold oatmeal with nuts and fruit and is so delicious. It was developed by a Swiss physician in the early 1900s to help his patients heal. Here is a recipe from Med instead of Meds that we have worked on to get the taste just right without breaking the calorie bank.

2 apples (or 1 apple and 1 pear), grated

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup skim milk

2/3 cup yogurt

4 Tablespoons nuts or seeds

Grapes or berries (optional)

1. Place the grated fruit, oats, milk, and yogurt in a glass bowl. You can use any kind of yogurt you like. Plain yogurt will lighten the calories and sugar but will result in a tart finished product. Vanilla yogurt works well.
2. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
3. Serve topped with nuts or seeds and sliced grapes or berries.

Nutritional  Information per Serving (Based on using low-fat vanilla yogurt) Serving Size: 2 cups / 1 cup: Calories: 449 / 224,  Carbohydrates: 78.6 grams / 39.3 grams, Fiber: 10.8 grams / 5.4 grams, Protein: 16.6 grams / 8.3 grams, Fat: 10 grams / 5 grams and Sodium: 123 mg / 61.6 mg.

Granola. Store-bought granola is expensive and nutritionally similar to a piece of cake. Homemade granola is tastier, healthier, and cheaper than the store-bought version.

Calories from beverages can add up quickly throughout the day. Make soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened coffees and teas a sometimes drink. Rethink your drink and choose water most of the day.

Flavor variations: Add slices of lemon, cucumber, berries, or herbs to your water for added taste. One of the keys to preventing dehydration is drinking plenty of fluids, including water. While water is almost always the best drink choice, a lot of people complain that they get bored drinking plain water. While you can add purchased flavored drink mixes to water, you can also make your own flavored water by infusing it with different fruits and herbs.

Infusing water with a little flavor is really simple. Fill a pitcher with water, add thinly sliced fruits, herbs or spices, and chill in the refrigerator. You also can add sliced fresh fruit to a reusable water bottle. The combinations are endless. Some fruits work better than others. Berries tend to break down faster than hardier citrus fruits like lemons or limes. For stronger flavored water, prepare it a day ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight before drinking.

A benefit of infusing water with fresh fruits, herbs, and spices is that you can get a little added nutritional benefits. Lemons, lime, oranges, grapefruit, and berries are all excellent sources of vitamin C. Fresh ginger and fresh mint are both refreshing flavorings as well as good for upset stomachs.

Key Takeaway:

Drinking enough water is crucial for optimal health. It improves therapy results, boosts immunity, aids weight loss, reduces pain, and offers various wellness benefits.

Making your own flavored water is also a good way to avoid the unnecessary added sugars, preservatives or chemicals that often are added to drink mixes or commercially available flavored waters. The addition of fruit to a pitcher is visually appealing…and as I often say we eat or in this case drink with our eyes first. Eager to get started? Check out the simple infused water recipes below as they are anything but, boring!

Infused Water Recipes

Cucumber-Infused Water

What you will need:

1 cucumber

A strainer

Water and ice

For slightly flavored-infused cucumber water, cut a cucumber up into small slices or chunks, add it to your water and cover, and let sit in the fridge overnight. Strain the mixture before drinking.

For a more flavorful cucumber-infused water, blend the cucumber and pour it into a strainer and let drip overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, mix the cucumber juice with a pitcher of water.

Grapefruit, Orange and Lime-Infused Water

What you will need:

1/2 a grapefruit thinly sliced

1 orange thinly sliced

1/2 a lime thinly sliced

A few mint sprigs (optional)

Water and ice (1 quart)

Chill for a stronger flavor or serve right away for a nice light refreshment.

Pineapple, Ginger and Mint-Infused Water

What you will need:

Pineapple slices (6-10)

Thinly sliced ginger (5 slices)

Mint leaves (14)

Ice and water (1 quart)

Chill for a stronger flavor or serve right away for a nice light refreshment.

Fruit-Infused Herbal Iced Tea

What you will need:

Fruit-flavored herbal tea, such as Celestial Seasonings Red or Lemon Zinger or Tazo Passion

Cubed pineapple

Sliced tangerines

Add 1 tea bag for every 6 ounces of water and fruit to taste. Allow to stand 1 hour at room temperature, then chill overnight. To mix things up, try other fruit and herb combination ideas.

In summary there are numerous health benefits to staying hydrated, including fresher, younger-looking skin and mental and physical energy. Hydration also helps reduce the chances of developing ailments such as the flu, arthritis, and other health irregularities. Hydration along with limiting added sugars is a great step to wellness. Feel free to share any or all of these delicious infused water recipes and the health benefits of proper hydration with your loved ones. 

Sources for this article NC Extension Food and Nutrition educational program. For more information about the Foods and Nutrition please contact Louise L. Hinsley, Extension Agent, Family Consumer Science at the Beaufort County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, 155 Airport Road, Washington, 252-946-0111.