Hydration Lab

This exercise is designed to help you gauge your hydration level.You will need to keep track of all foods & liquids you ingest for 3 days.Because most diets are designed on3-day averages, we will track diet diaries for 3 days and then average results.

1.On the grids provided - keep track of all food and fluid consumed for 3 consecutive days. One of those days must be a weekend day.Using appendix N [and/or any on-line source or Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used on reserve in library] find each item and locate water content.Appendix N gives this in percent of weight.

2.You might need the following conversion factors:

1 ounce = 28 grams

8 ounces = 250 ml

For H2O: 1g = 1ml

Example:medium Asian Pear [pg A146] weight is 122 gms water is 88% - so 122 x .88 = 107.36 gm of water

107.36 grams of water = 107.36 ml of water

107.36/28 = 3.83 ounces on water

Other sources may give you the water amount in grams if so here is an example of how to convert to fluid amounts

Example: 1 pear weighs 166 grams139.1 of those grams are water(grams ofserving and H20in grams from the tableon pg 146 in Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used 17th ed)

139.1 grams of water = 139.1 ml of water 

139.1/ 28 = 4.96 oz of water per pear

Notice the difference between amounts of water, as well as original weights of the pear.this is common – just use the closest food/amount that you can – this will not be exact!!Its just to give you an idea of the amount of water you are consuming by the food choices you make.

Answer the following question on the back of your first day’s grid. Please set up the equation, so I can follow how you solved

§If you were to eat enough alfalfa spouts to get one cup of water [ 8 ounces], how many cups ofspouts would you have to eat?1 cup = 32 gms.91% of that is water.(grams of serving and H20 in% frompg A-188)

You will want to follow this for all items except water and herbal teas - which is 100%!If you add a sweetener to the tea [for example] you will have to calculate the sweetener separately.

3.FOR EACH DAY - Divide the liquids into either a diuretic or a fluid.Fluids include water, juices, soups, non- carbonated beverages (milk / herbal teas).Diuretics include coffee, tea (black or green - hot or cold), alcohol and carbonated beverages.Use the back of each day’s grid for this part of the assignment

Follow the example below:

day 1

FluidsDiuretics

orange juice - 4 ozlatte - 8 oz

water - 6 ozcoke - 10 oz

soup - 10 oz18 oz

water - 16 oz

milk - 6 oz

42 oz

Subtract the amount of diuretics from the fluids.42 oz- 18 oz = 24 oz.This shows the amount of fluids truly consumed - as diuretics tend to pull fluids out of the body - and the amount is estimated to be equal to the amount of the diuretic consumed.

3.Type your answers to these questions and submit with grids on Wednesday October 15th in class.NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED!Early papers always gladly accepted:) 

Q - Assess your hydration level: Are you getting enough water?What is your estimated intake? [Body weight divided in half – and don’t forget activities!] How does your intake compare to your estimated requirement? Are you pulling out more than you realized through the use of diuretics?What types of foods are you consuming that might offset this? DO NOT BE TOO OVERLY CRITICAL OR JUDGMENTAL - THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS.

Q - Your 26 year old sister [daughter, wife, cousin...] has been running.In fact, she has chosen the Olympia Marathon as a goal, and has joined the marathon-training group.What words of wisdom can you share with her concerning hydration and running?Remember to consider weather conditions.

Q - How does the body use electrolytes to regulate fluid balance?

Q -Comment on some of the fluid replacement/replenisher drinks marketed. Go to the grocery store and count how many different brands are available – be sure to note which store, total number counted and name at least 4 of the types available.Read their labels, noting the minerals, etc listed and discuss how these might augment fluid levels in regards to electrolyte status.

Q - You and a friend are riding bikes on a pleasant spring afternoon.After cycling on the rolling ‘country roads’ around campus for about 45 min., you stop for a drink.Your friend decides to get a coke.How would you convince your friend to choose a different beverage, and what might that beverage be?Be explicit in your reasoning.