Health foods and drinks create problems

Editor's note: The following column originally ran in the June 17, 1999 edition of the Nevada Daily Mail.

I have a glass of water here by the computer because I have heard that you are supposed to drink eight glasses of water each day. That is a lot of water. I used to think we were just advised to drink four glasses of water a day, but a recent newscast, or maybe it was an advertisement for bottled water, I don't remember, said drink eight glasses. When you are middle age plus you want to heed every health advisory to be on the safe side, so I am trying to cooperate.

Another magazine article said that one way to prevent osteoporosis is to drink at least three glasses of milk each day. That is no problem. I probably come closer to four glasses because I like to dink milk with my meals and also put some on my cereal etc.

A television advertisement shows a disgruntled husband complaining to his wife that she serves his breakfast orange juice in too small a glass. Since orange juice is good for lots of things in a body of any age, the ad suggests a big eight-ounce glass each day. OK, I'll go for that because I like orange juice and I do want to start my day with it.

I don't drink coffee because I don't like it, and a long time ago Dr. Pascoe told me that coffee, whiskey and Cokes would aggravate my digestive problem. Since I only drank coffee to be polite, and have never drank whiskey, I had no problems with his directions until I got to the Coke. So I switched to Dr. Pepper. I imagine it has the same qualities to avoid as Coke, but I have been drinking it ever since and probably am addicted to it now as some are to coffee. Anyway, for better or for worse, I usually drink two glasses of Dr. Pepper each day when I can. I feel I'm entitled since I don't drink coffee.

Iced tea is a cooling drink in the summer, but we enjoy it all year round. When I ordered it a few years ago in early spring while visiting my brother in Washington D.C., the waiter looked at me like I was from another planet. I could have told him, "No, I'm just from Missouri and here no one questions the choice of iced tea anytime of the year." I also like hot tea on occasion.

We drink quite a bit of lemonade in the summertime, and since it is so easy to make today, there is often a pitcher of it in our refrigerator. I keep it near the container of sun tea that I make in quantities when I am having extra folk visiting.

One of the treats I used to order from curb service at Wiggs' Drug Store was a limeade. I continue to like it and it is still available at some of the quick food places in town I don't see it on the menu at many restaurants anymore, but it really does taste good especially on a hot day.

I haven't mentioned some favorite cold weather drinks such as cocoa and cider, but I usually consume my share of those each winter also.

So when I start adding this all up, I get two quarts of water, almost one quart of milk, one glass of orange juice, two of Dr. Pepper, possibly a glass or two of iced tea or lemonade, or limeade, then I have at least four quarts of fluid sloshing around my insides on any given day. When I add the seven fruits and vegetables suggested to ward off cancer, the fiber needed for regularity, some protein foods and even a little carbohydrates, I wonder why I don't have any room for dessert.

This is a sad circumstance. After all these years of good living we older people deserve the chance to eat a nice dessert, especially if someone else has made it. We are left with a dilemma. Either we don't eat and drink all that is suggested or we don't eat the desserts. A possible solution would be to eat smaller portions of the required foods thus leaving room for dessert.

But I think I have come up with a better solution. Well, actually I didn't come up with it; I saw it on a bumper sticker. It said, "Life is short, eat dessert first." So at covered dish dinners at church I breeze by the casseroles and salads until I can see what desserts are waiting. Then I can go back for the healthy stuff.

In fact, right now I think I will go get a candy bar and wash it down with some of this water. Then I will only need to drink six more glasses of water today.