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Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 per- cent of your total fluid in- take, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other bev- erages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typi- cally replace your lost fluids. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total You may wonder if you have been drinking enough water, especially when it’s hot out. There’s a lot of confusing advice on how much water your body really needs. Our bodies are very good at regu- lating water. The elderly, young children and people on certain medications need to be a little more careful about monitoring their wa- ter intake. Water is involved in all body processes and makes up about 60 percent of your body’s weight. The body regulates how much water it keeps so it can maintain lev- els of the various minerals it needs to work properly. Every time you breath out, sweat, urinate or have a bowel movement, you lose some fluid. When you lose fluid, your blood becomes more concentrated. Healthy people compensate by rere- leasing stores of water, mostly from muscle. At a certain point if you lose enough water and don't re- hydrate, your body can no longer compensate and you become dehydrated. So how much water does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? In general, doctors recom- mend 8 or 9 cups. Here are the most common ways of calculating that amount: Don’t Dry Out– Make Sure You Drink Enough Water Red Flags about Pain Relievers For many people, pain relievers are wonder drugs, allowing them to carry on with daily activities. All pain relievers, whether sold over the counter (OTC) or by prescription, have potential risks. Though there are many brands of OTC pain relievers, there are two basic types: acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, Motrin and Aspirin. What to watch out for: The following issues relate primarily to people to take these drugs at least several times a week. Cardiovascular risk- Studies have shown people who take pain relievers frequently are at a higher risk for heart attack, particularly in people who already have cardiovascular dis- ease. With the exception of 81m of Aspirin a day may lower risks. Blood Pressure– Pain relievers can raise blood pressure. This may be partly responsible for increase heart attack and stroke. Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding– NSAIDs can damage the stomach and cause bleeding and ulcers. This has been a long-term drawback and the greatest risk is in those over 60, heavy drinkers and those on blood-thinning drugs or steroids. Liver Damage– Acetaminophen, the #1 OTC pain reliever, does not cause GI bleeding, but long term frequent use can cause liver damage. In fact, acetaminophen overdosing is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. August 2011 City Of Lewiston– Employee Health News Letter Inside this issue: Don’t Dry Out 1-2 Pain Relievers 1 Energy Bar Exam 2 Community Events 2 Cont’d on pg. 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- beverages a day. If you’re active or out in the hot sun you may even need more than that! Dehydration Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in, and your body does- n't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you may get dehydrated. Common causes of dehydra- tion include intense diar- rhea, vomiting, fever or ex- cessive sweating. Not drink- ing enough water during hot weather or exercise also may cause dehydration. Anyone may become dehydrated, but young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk. Don’t Dry Out, Cont. Energy Bar Exam Raising the Bar √ Not all bars are created equal, so read the nutrition information and ingredients. Look for whole grain (like rolled oats), nuts, peanut but- ter or fruit at or near the top of the list. Try to avoid high fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup or maltitol– all sweeteners. √ Choose bars with more fiber. Fiber typically ranges from 2 to 5 grams. √ Calories usually range from 170 to 300. Lower-calorie bars simply tend to be smaller. Some bars have as many calories as small meal. √ Look for low saturated fat. Most bas have 2 to 4 grams; Atkins bars have more. √ A high-protein bar after exer- cise may be beneficial after ex- ercise, but most people don’t need extra protein. √ Don’t judge a bar by how many added vitamins and minerals it has. You’re better off getting these from natural food sources or multivitamin/ mineral pill that provides 100% of daily values. Page 2 August 2011 LA Bridge Run 5K- Sunday, August 28th 2011 at 9am visit www.triplecrown5k.com Central Maine Heart Walk– Sunday September 18, 2011 at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch. Call [PHONE REDACTED] or visit www.centralmaineheartwalk.com What to do if someone is suf- fering from dehydration or heat related illness * Get the person out of the sun and into a cool place. * Offer fluids like water, fruit and vegetable juice * Urge the person to lie down and rest * Encourage the person to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water Do “energy bars” really give you energy? Sure, but only because they contain calo- ries, and calories fuel the body. Energy bars (also called nutrition or sports bars) vary in how much protein, fat and carbo- hydrates they contain, as well as in the vitamins, minerals and other compounds that are added. These bars may be mar- keted in all different ways like “low– carb”, “high– carb”, “high– protein”. But they won’t make you more energetic, stronger or faster than other foods. Nor will they improve brain function or do any of the other things that may be implied by the bar’s name or promoters. Heather Small CMMC 795-2473 Upcoming Community Events!