Cool off with food

Speaking of watermelon. It's a great diet food too! Now that sounds like fun. I just had to pass this along. Dr. Liz always has something good to say.

Health Notes from Dr. Liz:

Cool Off with Food
Stay hydrated and cool during these dog days of summer with some refreshing foods. Your fluid needs can increase several cups daily with the sweltering heat. Besides drinking more fluids, you can hydrate and cool off with food. Nutrition scientists calculate that 20 percent of your daily fluids come from the foods you eat.

Hydrating foods such as fruits and vegetables are at least 80 percent water by weight, and in fact, watermelon is 95 percent water (hence the name!).
During cooler months, you should average 4 ½ cups or more of fruits and veggies daily, and now with summer full swing, tack on another 1 to 2 cups. Not only do you stay hydrated, but you get a wealth of key antioxidants vital for immune health and fending off age-related ailments.

Here’s a day’s worth of hydrating foods to include with your meals:
Breakfast: 1 cup berries and a sliced banana with yogurt
Lunch: 1 cup carrot, celery, and cucumber slices; 1 peach
Snack: Topical smoothie blended with 1 ½ cup total of mango, pineapple, and melon
Dinner: 2 cups spring salad mix topped with tomatoes, green onions and snap peas, 1 ½ cups fruit salad with shaved chocolate
—Liz Applegate, Ph.D.