What do trees, flowers, grass, animals and people have in common? Give up?
They all need water. All living things must have water to survive, whether they get it from a water fountain, a rain cloud, a water trough or from a bottle. Next to the air we breathe, water is probably the most important thing in our lives.
When my girls were babies they didn't have a nuk. They did however have a four-ounce baby bottle of fresh water that filled the gap between feeding time. They grew up into children and then adults who drink water. Many babies and children don't get enough water.
A few years ago, it became a style trend for young people to carry bottled water everywhere they went. Now the trend seems to have strayed to other bottled liquids that may or may not be as good as the advertising says. All fluids contain water, however water (and milks) are still the best. Nothing takes the place of water.
School and the fall sports season will be starting soon! Do you know how much water your kids are getting there?
Our athletes need to remember that water should be drunk before, during and after games and activities. You can't play your best when you need water. If a body does not have enough water, it becomes dehydrated.
Your body can no longer do as much as it could. You can't run, move as fast, or be as sharp as one would like to be if the body is lacking water. In fact, a bad case of dehydration can make you sick.
You can't do your best when your system doesn't have enough water. Think about it. A car doesn't run without gas and your body would not continue to run without water. Kids run on water too!
Water makes up more than half of your body weight. A person can't survive for more than a few days without it. Why? Your body has lots of important jobs to do and it needs water to do many of them.
Children need to establish drinking patterns early in childhood, so it is vital to teach them about the importance of good hydration at an early age. Children should be educated about the importance of water and encouraged to drink water even if they don't feel thirsty.
Fifteen percent of preschool children consume just under half of their recommended daily energy intake in the form of sugary drinks. One theory linking mild dehydration to obesity suggests that low fluid intake may stimulate a preference for a high fat diet.
Of all the nutrients, fat generates the most metabolic water when it is broken down by the body. By providing maximum metabolic water, a high fat diet could be part of a compensatory mechanism to deal with perpetually low water intakes.
Water helps children to maintain a healthy weight, improve attention and concentration resolve, and toileting problems such as wetting and constipation. It increases exercise capacity and fitness levels and reduces the risk of chronic disease. That spells water.
Poor hydration adversely affects a child’s mental performance and learning ability. Symptoms of mild dehydration include light-headedness, dizziness, headaches and tiredness, as well as reduced alertness and ability to concentrate. Once thirst is felt, mental performance including memory, attention and concentration can decrease by about 10 percent.
Mental performance deteriorates progressively as the degree of dehydration increases. When we are well hydrated, brain cells are supplied with fresh, oxygen-laden blood and the brain remains alert.
Water is one of the most important basic nutrients required by our bodies, together with carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Some drink significantly less during the school day than during the weekend while they are at home.
The promotion of good hydration is included within the government’s food in schools program, which supports the National Healthy Schools Standard. It advises that good quality water should be available to pupils throughout the day and not from taps or drinking fountains located in toilet areas. Some schools with antique water lines provide bottled water.
Water is important for healthy heart function as it carries oxygen to all body cells. The correct regulation of water balance is essential to keep blood pressure within the healthy range.
One of water's important jobs is to move our blood, which contains water, oxygen and nutrients to all the cells. Those tiny cells would die without water and the body would stop working.
Water is also in lymph, which is a fluid instrumental to our immune systems that helps to fight illness. We need water to digest our food and get rid of waste. Water is the main ingredient in perspiration or sweat.
Water is the major part of most of the body's cells (except for fat cells) and it also lubricates and cushions our brain and our joints and keeps muscles working properly. It transports nutrients, keeps the kidneys working well, and carries waste and excess nutrients away from our body cells. Water also helps regulate our body temperature by redistributing heat from active tissues to the skin and cools the body through perspiration.
An adequate water intake is essential to keep the kidneys working well, helping them to remove waste products and excess nutrients, mainly via urine.
The skin constitutes a defense against pathogenic agents and contributes to preventing the development of infectious and allergic processes.
The body water has an important role as a thermo regulator. It helps regulate our overall body temperature by helping dissipate heat.
Few people realize that a dry mouth is a major cause of tooth disease because it impairs the production of saliva. Saliva is essential for good oral health because it neutralizes acid created by bacteria that causes tooth decay.
Saliva lubricates oral membranes. It also contains minerals that enable tooth repair and contains antibacterial agents that inhibit the growth of oral bacteria and helps prevent gum disease.
When you think school supplies, also think water! Needless to say it is important for children and adults!
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, August 1st: Parker Brant Simon, Wendy Schultz, Dale Mrotz, Karen Vaith, Stanley Jensen, Lonny Thostenson, Tad Cornelius, Karen Brockman, Rick Christensen, Larry & Carol Spear.
• Friday, August 2nd: Kolten Aaron Michael Hanson, Tara Cromwell Lembke, Cole Lehmberg, Vivian Dulas, Cora Lynn Harpel, Ryan Nelson, Scott Sommers, George Wangsness Jr., Carol Lein, Melissa Marlin.
• Saturday, August 3rd: Arianna Elizabeth Pence/Ortiz, Jo Lerberg, Kristine Dummer, Cynthia Nelson, Kent Swearingen, Jean Molenaar, Matthew Wayne, Nicholas Wayne, Gerald Flugum.
• Sunday, August 4th: Madysen Grace Waage, Karen Edwardson Loge, Harold Jensen, Bryce Ingvaldson, Terry Vaith, Ryan Wangsness, Michael Hanson, Tom Lang, Bethany Cooper, Rachel Reichl, Gary & Kathy Reichl, Warren & Ilsbeth Wayne.
• Monday, August 5th: Wayne Schimek, Corey Wangsness, Gabriella Lynn Olson, Gladys Johnson, John Ramlo, Annette Thostenson, Jennifer Broskoff Dutton, Andrea & Kane Malo, Christopher & Kristen Hanson.
• Tuesday, August 6th: Lynn Nechanicky, Rick Cook, Matthew Miller, Andy & Mary Lerberg, Wendell & Connie Kuehni.
• Wednesday, August 7th: August 7th: Shelly Mangskau, Zachery Vangen, Lori Titus, Dylan Waltz, Jack Jensen, Dakota Wayne Heideman, Kaityn Quimby, Cheyenne Bergerson, David Arbogast, Darren Casper, Allen Wacek, Tom & Katie Marlin.
