Health Coach Q & A
What links should I know about?
Lark is here to help!
Lark Customer Support!
https://support.lark.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Hydration Worksheet
www.lark.com/resources/lark-hydration-worksheet
Facebook page for DPP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/larkdpp
Lark blog
Lark recipes
https://www.lark.com/resource-type/recipe
Email a Lark coach with questions or to make an appointment
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=21319234
Is drinking alkaline water (pH water) actually making a difference in our health?
Probably not. While alkaline water (or pH water) is safe to drink, your body is already an expert at balancing its own pH if you’re a healthy individual. When you drink alkaline (low-acid) water, your stomach neutralizes it in a high-acid environment. Within your body, your pH (acidity/alkalinity) stays within a tightly regulated, narrow range.
If you enjoy the taste and it helps you drink more water, go for it! But from a weight loss and blood sugar perspective, plain water does the job just as well. If you want to alkalinize your diet, eating more fruits and vegetables may do a better job in terms of long-term health benefits for bones, though research is ongoing.
What about coconut water?
Coconut water has electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium. It can be slightly better for rehydration after heavy sweating, though most people don’t work out intensely enough to require it.
Coconut water has 45–60 calories per 8 oz and about 6–10 grams of sugar. Drinking coconut water for a major source of hydration can interfere with weight loss due to calories adding up.
The sugar is natural, but your body uses it the same way that it does with added sugar. Plus, since coconut water is a liquid, the sugar gets absorbed quickly, so your blood sugar can spike.
Is there a difference in drinking tap water and drinking sparkling water like Bubly?
For hydration and calories, there’s no difference. Both hydrate, and both are calorie-free and sweetener-free.
Sparkling water can make you feel more full due to the carbonation. It can also have the advantage of swapping for sodas and diet sodas if you’re used to drinking them. However, some people find they get bloating or gas with carbonated beverages.
What are your thoughts on hydrogen water?
Hydrogen water is essentially water meant to fight inflammation. Scientifics studies are ongoing and fascinating, especially for athletes looking to recovery faster. However, it’s quite expensive and the gas (the super charge) escapes quickly after you open the bottle.
I just learned that in order to know how much water to take I have to divide my weight by 2 and the answer is the result of the oz. Is this true?
That’s a great question! This formula can give you an estimate, though it’s just an estimate. If you weigh 200 lb, for example, your formula would yield 100 ounces per day. That’s a good amount for someone who is active, trying to lose weight, and already drinks plenty of water. It’s important to go by how you feel and what your healthcare provider suggests.
Club soda or seltzer? which is better?
Club soda is unflavored sparkling water. Seltzer water is unflavored sparkling water with some minerals added back in for flavor. Seltzer water has about 50-90 mg sodium per serving. If you’re watching your sodium intake, be sure to count that sodium among your sources.
Hint- is that low cal?
Great news - Hint is calorie-free! It’s also free from sugar and sweeteners, so it can be a great hydration choice!
What about N/A beer?
Non-alcoholic beer is a healthier choice than alcoholic beer. It has no alcohol, so there’s less of an effect on blood sugar, not to mention mental impairment and the risk for accidents. It is made with grains, so it does have calories and carbohydrates.
It’s lower in calories than alcoholic beer, with 40-90 calories per 12-ounce can compared to 150-220 per 12-ounce can. Swapping non-alcoholic beer for regular alcoholic beers can save calories and support weight management and blood sugar control. However, drinking any beer - alcoholic or not - adds calories.
What about a small latte?
That sounds like a really good choice. It can be a nice, warming treat that’s a bit creamy with the milk, but has no added sugars if you don’t add sugar or syrup.
What about matcha?
Matcha can be a good choice for hydration for many people, depending on how it’s prepared and how sensitive you are to caffeine. Matcha powder that you prepare in hot water is low in calories, with about 5 per serving.
Matcha has about 25% the amount of caffeine as in coffee, so most healthy people can safely have matcha.
There are many matcha beverages that are high in calories and sugars. Some powdered products in supermarkets are mixed with sugar or powdered milk and are higher in calories. Cafes may also serve matcha drinks with additives like sugar or syrup.
How do one know how much water he/she must drink in a day?
Water requirements are individual. You might consider looking at the Adequate Intake (AI) of 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women and seeing how you compare. If you’re far from that, consider increasing your intake gradually.
You can also ask your provider how much to drink each day. People who are trying to lose weight, active individuals, and people who sweat a lot are examples of people who may need more liquids each day. It’s an individual question.
Should we drink water when we aren't thirsty to meet the water intake goals? And, Should we be drinking water when we aren't thirsty? I might not get enough because I don't feel thirsty.
Good questions. The body’s thirst mechanism is a little bit delayed. That means that by the time you feel thirsty, you’ve already lost some water. It’s best to use thirst as a guide when needed, but to try to prevent thirst when possible.
The thirst mechanism weakens with age - older adults have more difficulty feeling thirst. In addition, if you’ve gone for years without listening to your body’s thirst signals or you’re chronically mildly dehydrated, you may not feel thirst as soon or as sharply.
It’s a good idea to check your urine color. If it’s brown, you may be dehydrated.
Try comparing your intake to the AI. If you’re below it, it’s a good idea to add some water daily and see how it goes.
I always heard that if you drink water during your meal it interferes with digestion. Is that true?
Good news - no, it’s not true! Water aids digestion. It helps your stomach produce acid, which is necessary for digestion. It helps your food break down to release nutrients. It helps the digesting food stay at the right consistency to move along. It helps with fiber management, too.
Water also helps you pace yourself to avoid overeating - if you find yourself eating too fast, use a glass of water as a built-in 'speed bump' for your meal by taking a sip between bites.
Some people, like those with gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) or people who have had bariatric surgery, may need to follow strict rules about how much or whether to drink fluids with meals. Ask your healthcare provider!
Are there any negative impacts of drinking more water than normal? And, I have heard you can drink too much water? Is this true?
It is true that you can over hydrate! It’s called hyponatremia. It happens when you drink so much water so fast that you wash out your body's essential salts. To stay safe, never 'chug' massive amounts at once, like doing a drinking challenge.
Keep in mind that your kidneys can safely process about 4 cups per hour.
Your goal is steady sipping. If you're exercising intensely for over an hour, consider adding electrolytes to your water rather than just drinking it plain.
Where on Lark do you track water intake?
Great question! When you log, you can be motivated, informed, and more likely to reach your goals! You can log water and any beverage on Lark when you log your food intake. It’s all in one place!
