Rethink your Drink

This week in the UC San Diego FitLife Undergraduate Student Personal Wellness classes, we have been learning all about Nutrition...from MyPlate portions, healthy breakfast ideas, and eating on a budget to alcohol safety and a demonstration on how to make healthy nonalcoholic mocktails (see the video below).

Health Effects of Alcohol:

• Dehydration: diuretic effect
• Testosterone: testosterone levels can lead to a decrease in muscle mass
• Performance: impaired reaction time which can result in an increased risk of injury
• May increase body fat: alcohol has 7 calories per gram
• Sleep: decrease quality of sleep and daytime attention

Alcohol Definitions and Guidelines:

• 1 drink is the equivalent to 1.5 oz of hard liquor, 5 oz of wine, and 12 oz of beer.
• You must be 21 years or older
• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends you do not exceed 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men. 
• Binge drinking is alcohol consumption that brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or more. For men that is defined as 5 or more drinks in 2 hours and for women it is 4 or more drinks in 2 hours.

Tips to drink SAFE:

• Set your limit of drink ahead of time
• Always know what you are drinking
• Find a safe ride home
• Eat a full meal before drinking alcohol

Try a healthy and refreshing alternative to drinking alcohol.  

Watch a video of the Cucumber Mint Mojito Mocktail (nonalcoholic) presentation below.

Cucumber Mint Mojito Mocktail Recipe

Ingredients to make 1 drink:

5-10 leaves of fresh mint

5 slices of cucumber

½ lime

1 teaspoon agave syrup

4 to 6 ounces soda water

Garnish: lime wedges or slice of cucumber

Directions:

In a large glass, muddle the cucumber, agave syrup, and mint until the cucumber gets broken up. 

Add ice cubes to fill half the glass. 

Squeeze the half of one lime into the glass.  

Pour in the soda water and stir.  

Decorate the glass with a slice of cucumber or lime for garnish.  

*You can always put extra cucumber so you can eat them.  

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Don’t Wait to Hydrate

What is clear, helps balance body fluids, and can help prevent dehydration? If you guessed water, you got it right! Water is an important factor in life, from assisting in agriculture to clearing out toxins in the human body. Water can be expended from the human body by sweating from temperature change, working out, or just plain sweating. Without replenishing, these can all lead to dehydration and result in symptoms like feeling thirsty, fatigued, dizzy, and inability to exercise as efficiently.  Therefore, water plays a major role in staying hydrated.

How much water should we drink? The dietary reference intake (DRI) for total water for women is 2.7 liters (L) per day, or 5-6 water bottles (16 fluid ounces each). The DRI for men is 3.7 L of total water, or 7-8 water bottles (16 fl. oz. each). It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but let’s break it down. Total water includes the water in beverages and food. About 80% of our water comes from the beverages, and about 20% from food. The recommended amount may also vary depending on the level of physical activity and the type of environment.

Although the total water is not all drinking water, it is important to obtain optimal nutritional status and stay hydrated by drinking water. Of course, you should not be drinking all that at once, rather throughout the day. Try to find your motivation to help hold yourself accountable. For example, you can divide your water bottle up in 4 sections by easily marking the bottle with a sharpie. Then, pace yourself to drink one part (½ cup or 4 fl. oz.) every 30 minutes. One way to help identify if you are staying hydrated is that the color of your urine should be like the color of a straw or lemonade. If the urine color is dark, like apple juice, that indicates dehydration. 

If you don’t like to drink water because it’s tasteless, you can always infuse it by adding tasteful fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs. A few popular examples are: strawberry mint, cucumber mint, orange and lime, pomegranate and lemon, and lemon and lime. It’s really simple, just add a few slices of the fruit or vegetable, let it infuse in the water for a few minutes, and you’re on your way to keep your body hydrated. The sky is the limit, be creative in ways to flavor your and drink adequate amounts to avoid dehydration. Just remember, don’t wait to hydrate!

  

Guest blog submitted by: Tasnim El Mezain, Dietetic Intern at UC San Diego Medical Center and edited by FitLife Dietitian, Prashila Mistry, MS, RD, CLEC.

photo: www.cleanwateraction.org

Meet the UC San Diego FitLife Dietitian

My name is Prashila Mistry and I am the FitLife Registered Dietitian.  My journey to FitLife started after graduating with a degree in biology from UCLA. I was at a crossroads; unsure what direction to head. I started taking a body sculpting class, which became the catalyst for healthy change in my own life. I became immersed in nutrition and wellness and was inspired to pursue a career in helping others make informed health and nutrition choices to achieve their best selves. 

Therefore, I pursued a Master’s of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University (SDSU). While at SDSU, I worked in the SDSU Health Promotion Department and developed and was the inaugural president of a wellness organization called Headstrong.  These experiences helped to solidify my passion for working in a university setting.  After completing my dietetic internship at UC San Francisco Medical Center, I came back to San Diego and worked with the American Red Cross Women Infants and Children program for a couple of years before joining the FitLife team in October 2014.

As a life-long learner, I was inspired by my time at WIC to further my education and become a Certified Lactation Education Counselor (CLEC).  I also like to remain active in the professional dietetic community by working as the Communications Co-Chair for the San Diego Dietetic Association. Beyond nutrition, I enjoy creative writing, music, and exploring the outdoors, most recently going on a road trip to Monterrey and Big Sur.

Enjoying nature in Big Sur, December 2014

I practice a balanced approach to nutrition and I am excited to work with the UCSD community on your own journey to achieving personal best.  Drop in to ask your nutrition questions during my free open office hours every Wednesday 2:30-3:30pm.  I also provide individual or group nutrition consultations and various mobile nutrition workshops.  

For more information on setting up an appointment or workshop, contact me at psmistry@ucsd.edu or visit http://recreation.ucsd.edu/fitlife-programs/wellness/nutritional-services.html

Prashila Mistry, MS, RD, CLEC

FitLife Registered Dietitian