Rethink Your Drink Spartanburg
Wholespire Spartanburg County offers this information to encourage residents and organizations to choose and promote water as the beverage of the first choice.
Consuming fewer sugar-sweetened beverages is an effective way to improve overall health. We offer the materials in this toolkit to help residents and
organizations promote water as the beverage of first choice.
What do sugary drinks do to the body?
Sugary drinks, also known as sugar-sweetened beverages, are any liquids that are sweetened with added sugars. Beverages such as regular soda (not sugar-free), fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and coffee and tea beverages with added sugars are sugary drinks.
People who often drink sugary drinks are more likely to face health problems, such as weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis.
Limiting sugary drinks can help you maintain a healthy weight and have a healthy diet. Many people don’t realize just how much sugar and how many calories are in their drinks.
What are the health benefits of water?
Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 50% to 70% of your body weight. Your body depends on water to survive.
Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. For example, water:
- Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
- Keeps your temperature normal
- Lubricates and cushions joints
- Protects sensitive tissues
Lack of water can lead to dehydration — a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends following these guidelines for children:
At around 6 months, babies can be introduced to water. They only need about 4-8 ounces per day until they are a year old because the rest of their liquids are coming from breastmilk or formula.
To stay well hydrated, children ages 1-3 years need approximately 4 cups of beverages per day, including water or milk. This increases for older kids to around 5 cups for 4-8 year olds, and 7-8 cups for older children.
Drinking more than the recommended amount of water might be needed in some circumstances:
- Exercise. If you do any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to cover the fluid loss. It’s important to drink water before, during, and after a workout.
- Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional fluid. Dehydration also can occur at high altitudes.
- Overall health. Your body loses fluids when you have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Drink more water or follow a doctor’s recommendation to drink oral rehydration solutions. Other conditions that might require increased fluid intake include bladder infections and urinary tract stones.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need additional fluids to stay hydrated.
Rethink Your Drink Spartanburg promotes choosing water first for all the reasons above. Practicing healthy habits like being physically active, choosing healthy foods, and drinking more water is good for everyone. So Rethink Your Drink Spartanburg!