Nourishing Our Minds & Bodies | Be Sip Smart
Nourishing Our Minds & Bodies
Be Sip Smart
Featuring: Kara Strum
Sanford Health is a proud partner of BIO Girls. Sanford Health is a remarkable organization dedicated to sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort. This January, they are focused on the importance of nourishing both our minds and bodies. We are excited to feature insights from Kara Strum, who, in this blog will share her expertise on the importance of staying hydrated.
Kara Strum, RD, LRD
Kara Strum is a Pediatric Registered Dietitian at Sanford Health. Kara grew up in small town Ada, MN and attended the University of North Dakota before starting her career as a Registered Dietitian. Kara is passionate about food and nutrition especially in the pediatric population. When she isn’t cooking or baking, she enjoys spending time online shopping, golfing, watching hockey, and nurturing her houseplants. Kara enjoys spending her time with her lovely husband Kody, their cat, Kipper, and dog, Kiba. Kids at heart, both Kody and Kara work in pediatrics. They have lived on both sides of the river but are happily settled into their new home in Moorhead, MN.
Be Sip Smart
Kara Strum, RD, LRD
Ever wonder why we need to drink fluids?
Water, milk, juice, you name it there are a variety of bright & bubbly beverages out there. Fluids are necessary in the body because they regulate body processes such as basic metabolism to keep us moving each day. It also helps regulate body temperature and gets rid of waste products from processes in the body that happen without any thought by us. There are vitamins that require water to be absorbed by the body as well.
Milk is often one of our first foods/beverages. A good rule of thumb for milk intake, keep it at meals or snacks. It can be very easy to forget that beverages are a source of calories or energy. Excess milk each day can lead to weight gain if not monitored closely. Same story goes for juice. Keep in mind a serving size for juice is about 4 oz or ½ cup, so a juice box is a great way to serve it. Depending on what type of juice it is, it can have a lot of added sugars that are not naturally found in the product. Check out how many added sugars are on the nutrition label.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 10% of daily calories coming from added sugars. A great way to enjoy juice while being sip smart is to water down your juice a little bit. Plus, you get more to drink!
Soft drinks are another staple in our usual diet, these can be another source of extra energy. When enjoying these bubbly drinks be sure to enjoy them in moderation or choose a zero sugar or diet option.
Ice cold water can be a great option to help meet daily hydration goals. A great way to increase daily water intake while also having fun flavor and color is to use a water flavoring. There are many options available such as squeezable bottles or crystal form. These are a nice low-calorie option. Another way to flavor water is to infuse it with fruit like lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, the possibilities are endless! Other low-calorie options are teas, sparkling waters, seltzers or flavored waters. A few ways to help remind us to drink fluids are to have a water bottle with you. This can be a great visual reminder to meet fluid needs. Water and other fluids do so much for our bodies plus it gives us glowing skin, so drink up queens!